... of this brutal [Syrian] regime.”
Discord in Syria’s Top Echelons
Maxim Suchkov:
Russia in the Middle East: “Be with Us — and Remain Yourself”
The economic crisis... ... al-Assad’s cousin Rami Makhlouf, the most prominent of the “state bourgeois” whom Syrians nicknamed the “children of the power” (
Awlad alsulta
), falling out of... ... favour. Last year, he was rumoured to have been placed under house arrest for his refusal to donate the bulk of his 5-billion-dollar fortune to advance the Syrian President’s...
... on these plans. By introducing new sanctions, the US are devaluing the actual EU sanctions against Syria. Now, even if Brussels wants to lift its sanctions, it will not be able to trade with Damascus due to secondary US sanctions. By their step, the USA deprived the EU of arguments in its negotiations with Syria and its allies.
Ruslan Mamedov:
Russia in Syria: A “Path Dependence Hybrid Warfare”
Secondary sanctions are also hitting the Gulf states, some of which in recent years have gone the extra mile towards Damascus. Thus, the UAE, having restored its official contacts with Syria, resumed ...
... trends are not yet entirely clear, which makes this rivalry far more dangerous than the USSR-US confrontation.
Andrey Kortunov:
Russian Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Achievements and Limitations
Thus far, it is difficult to say confidently what direction ... ... be even more relevant there than in other parts of the crumbling, yet interconnected world.
“Old” internal conflicts in Syria, Libya and Yemen, new-type protest movements demanding a change of the ruling elites (the “everyone means everyone” ...
This article is part of the Russia-EU: Promoting Informed Dialogue project supported by the European Union in Russia.... ... Treaty, which the Trump administration seems happy to let expire next February.
Accusations of Russian infringements of the treaties and agreements, as well as the condemnation... ... between their leaders would help deal with incidents: U.S.-Russian deconfliction in Syria has demonstrated the effectiveness of maintaining contacts. Yet deconfliction...
... alarming global events, like the coronavirus pandemic, the oil price crash and the slowdown of world economic growth have eclipsed the armed conflicts in the Middle East, which drop off and flare up from time to time. The temporary disappearance of Syria from front page news and new Russia-Turkey agreements on a ceasefire in Idlib are far from comforting. This is merely a tactical pause that should give serious food for thought on Syria’s future in the increasingly unpredictable and rapidly changing world.
The latest alarming ...
... countries face a similar situation. The first COVID-19 cases have been registered in Syria, a country that is in a state of war. The strict oil embargo has resulted in a... ... the population will likewise be hit hard. The most stable situation right now is in Russia, where the safety margin is greater, and sanctions are not yet that extensive... ...
approved
applications for humanitarian exemptions, a host of problems arose—bank refusals, supplier delays, delays at customs, etc.
Christian Wollny:
Coronavirus Reveals...
... country, mainly in Tripoli, unless an agreement is reached among militant groups in addition to Turkey, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, the USA and Russia. The impeachment process of US President Donald Trump and the US role in the MENA region would determine the future of conflicts in many countries starting from Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya and the future government in Lebanon, Iraq and Algeria, Turkey and Iran. It is also expected that many MENA ...
... while Bashar al-Assad remains in power.
On the other hand, Russia and Iran are staying firmly behind Assad. They are not going to withdraw their armies, perhaps even after Damascus restores the unity of the country and the US and Turkish troops leave Syria.
At the same time, two great powers — Russia and the USA — and two regional powers — Turkey and Iran — are unlikely to start a local or global war to gain control over whole Syria. In this situation, there are two exits.
Ivan Timofeev:
US Sanctions Against Turkey: Zero Escalation
A) External players ...
Russia is back and here to stay. Others had better accept it and learn to deal with ... ... sanctions imposed over its actions in Ukraine. It has effectively won, militarily, in Syria: Today it is a power broker in that country; the victory has raised its prestige... ... technologies to influence other countries’ domestic politics, for instance, has provoked accusations from such important partners as Germany and France but failed to advance Russia’s...
...
accusing
the Iranian government and its leader, Hassan Rouhani. Within the context of increasing regional instability, constant accusations of supporting and arming terrorists and the unwillingness of the United States to ease the burden of sanctions, the Iranian ... ... member of NATO. The country disrespected international norms and laws and
initiated
active hostilities on the northern border of Syria. Turkey’s explicit violations were not shackled completely, but with the latest
engagement
of U.S. and Russia, they were temporarily stopped from escalating. Back in the day, Turkey would never act against American interests in the ...
