... all regional and international players around the same table
Despite eight years of horrific conflict, and over 500,000 thousand deaths, a stable peace in Syria remains elusive. The two writers of this article may disagree on what the final outcome should be, but they share the same ... ... scenarios are particularly worrying.
Andrey Kortunov, Malcolm Chalmers:
Upholding Stability in the Middle East: An Opportunity for Russia–Europe Cooperation?
— Bashar al-Assad starts a major offensive in Idlib, supported by the Iran-backed militia and by ...
It is becoming increasingly more difficult for Moscow to retain its position as an honest, if not completely independent, broker
On February 14, the leaders of Russia, Turkey and Iran will meet in Sochi to discuss Syria and hold separate bilateral meetings. Recently, new developments have emerged that could prove dangerous if each state pursues its own hidden agenda. The three states depend on the Astana format for settling the Syrian issue.
By 2019, the Syrian ...
The main Russian event of 2018 was President Vladimir Putin’s re-election for another six-year term. In view of the nature of the Putin ... ... and expensive aerospace and naval weapons programs have effectively been pushed back to the mid-2020s or even beyond 2027.
In Syria, Putin will keep trying to convert the military success of the Russian intervention into political and diplomatic gains,...
A series of Russian civil-military concepts can create great benefits for Europe, the Middle East and Asia
Favorable International Situation
... ... hear about that). And the Skripal case. All these are secondary and solvable, issues, once the above hard-points are solved.
Syria
Andrey Kortunov:
Russia: the Power Broker in the Middle East?
If it is at all possible to speak of any “winner” in ...
... broker’ in the region. Neither Israel, nor Iran is completely happy with the Russian policy of balancing its relations with the two states; each of the parties tries to pull Moscow to its side of the conflict. The risks of alienating either Teheran or Jerusalem, or even both of them, are on the rise.
Finally, if Damascus finally has a complete military victory and regains control over most of the Syrian territory, its current dependence on Moscow will inevitably decrease. Russia and its partners can arguably win the war, but they cannot win the peace in Syria in the sense that they do not have resources needed to launch the process of the post-conflict reconstruction in the country. No matter who is going to be in power ...
On October 2–4, 2018, Washington DC hosted a regular seminar in the framework of the joint project between Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
On October 2–4,... ... International Studies (CSIS).
The seminar focused on the approaches of Moscow and Washington to the situation in Ukraine and Syria, and Euro-Atlantic security issues.
Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Director General; Ivan Timofeev, Director of Programs, Associate ...
... makes sense to the radical Islamists and jihadists, which number in the tens of thousands in Idlib (Gen. [retired] Amos Yadlin, Director of Israel’s Institute of National... ... friends in the government who hoped in 2017 that Trump was serious about pulling out of Syria. Now they are depressed and anxious. The same author describes the fact that the... ... Al-Qaeda, as a “dirty secret” (although it is no secret really).
Andrey Kortunov:
Russia–Turkey Relations Need a Stronger Foundation
Israel also bankrolls the armed...
Coordinated actions between Russia and China could have a positive effect on regional stability
The Middle East is a region that has traditionally fallen ... ... destructive influence of the actions of Western governments in Afghanistan and Iraq, Russia and China took a different decision on the Syria issue.
While Russia and the United States had an active military presence in Syria, China adopted a more flexible position,...
... resources to ensure the rebuilding of the war-torn country
Iran’s presence in Syria remains a highly irritating factor for Israel, the United States and European... ... issue is a priority for the United States, and he has repeatedly discussed it with his Russian counterparts. However, Russia has made it clear that it would be impossible... ... functions. Since the start of the war, Iran has, according to various sources, sent thousands of soldiers and pieces of military equipment to Syria, as well as and tens of...
Helsinki has little in common with Singapore. And Russia is vastly different from North Korea. On the international stage, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un play in different leagues ... ... non-interference. This is not a simple task, but it is possible. Second, the sides could draw up some kind of framework document on Syria. This is particularly relevant as Trump is not especially interested in Syria and has been threatening to wrap up the U....
