Bashar al-Assad met with Grand Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi prince "asserted that Syria is a basic pillar of Arab security and the UAE wishes to strengthen cooperation with the country," the UAE's state news agency (WAM) reported.
President Assad's foreign trips outside Syria throughout the war have been to Iran and Russia - close allies.
The video posted by WAM shows Mr. Assad smiling while standing with Prince Sheikh Mohammed in front of the flags of Syria and the state. The two leaders were also happy and smiled during the meeting.
The sides emphasized "keeping the territorial integrity of Syria and withdrawing foreign forces" from Syria. In Syria, Russia, Iran, Turkey and the US are all military presence.
President Bashar al-Assad and Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan also discussed political and humanitarian assistance for Syria and the Syrian people to reach a peaceful solution to all the challenges the country faces, WAM reported.
WAM said that Abu Dhabi Prince Sheikh Mohammed "expressed his hope that this visit will pave the way for goodness, peace and stability in Syria and the entire region".
President Assad also informed the Abu Dhabi Prince of the latest developments in Syria. Prince Sheikh Mohammed personally took a flight to see off the Syrian leader at the end of the visit.
According to the Syrian Presidential Office, during the visit, Mr. Assad also met with Dubai Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al- maktoum.
These meetings mark the latest event in the series of Middle Eastern countries recovering relations with Syria under Mr. Assad. There are signs that cooperation between President Assad's government and the Arab countries has increased since last year, including a phone call with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, another US ally.
Analysts say the political and economic considerations are huge for Arab countries seeking closer ties with Mr Assad, including resisting the influence of Iran and Turkey.
