Matthew Rojansky
{
"authors": [
"Matthew Rojansky"
],
"type": "legacyinthemedia",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center",
"Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center"
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"collections": [
"Arab Awakening"
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"englishNewsletterAll": "ctw",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "russia",
"programs": [
"Russia and Eurasia"
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"projects": [
"Eurasia in Transition"
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"regions": [
"Middle East",
"Syria",
"Caucasus",
"Russia",
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"topics": [
"Foreign Policy"
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}Source: Getty
Russia Prepares for a Syria Without Assad
Although Russia seeks to remain the critical broker between Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian opposition, its stance on Syria is beginning to shift as the prospects for Assad's long-term rule diminish.
Source: BBC World News

Moscow’s priority is to ensure that “Russia remains pivotal in the solution” and continues to serve as the “critical broker” between Assad and the opposition, Rojansky explained. In the end, Russia’s leverage “depends on Assad’s belief that Russia is his best friend” and will remain a “back channel” of support, Rojansky concluded.
About the Author
Former Deputy Director, Russia and Eurasia Program
Rojansky, formerly executive director of the Partnership for a Secure America, is an expert on U.S. and Russian national security and nuclear-weapon policies.
- An Opportunity for Ambition: Ukraine’s OSCE ChairmanshipPaper
- Presiding Over the OSCE: Challenges and OpportunitiesIn The Media
Matthew Rojansky
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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