... NATO-member Turkey
shot down
a Russian aircraft in November 2015 — an action that tested the NATO-Russia relationship, even if Turkey and Russia eventually came to terms in the aftermath. Then, in early April 2017, the U.S. fired 59 cruise missiles at Syrian airbase on grounds that the Syrian military had allegedly used chemical weaponry
3
. The U.S. likewise refused to participate in a conference involving 11 regional actors on the conflict in Afghanistan, which had been sponsored by Moscow on April ...
... chaos and division, causing unimaginable amounts of human suffering. We now face a highly dynamic and very dangerous situation in the Middle East, with the prospect of further instability, but also some hope for improvement following a pause in the Syrian civil war.
During our recent meetings in Moscow, London and Ankara, members of this Task Force engaged in substantive, detailed and often intense discussions on the situation in the region. [
1
] In many cases, we have expressed and continue to ...
... Russian expert said that Moscow's clout in Damascus is significant as never before and could be used for softening the Assad regime, which means that a common stand on the matter is required.
According to a foreign participant, Russia's operation in Syria may add to its tarnished image in the EU since it generates one more driver for the refugee flow to Europe.
The participants agreed to continue their exchanges on the international security issues.
List of participants
Roundtable "Russian and Western Views on International Conflict Settlement and Security Challenges"
On October 3, 2013 the
Atlantic Council of the United States
hosted in Washington a roundtable discussion “Syria: Prospects for Political Settlement”.
RIAC President Igor Ivanov, former NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson and former Obama administration Special Envoy Frederic C. Hof addressed the meeting. They discussed elimination of chemical weapons ...