Russia and Syria

{
  "authors": [
    "Matthew Rojansky"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [
    "Arab Awakening"
  ],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "ctw",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "russia",
  "programs": [
    "Russia and Eurasia"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "Middle East",
    "Syria",
    "Caucasus",
    "Russia"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform",
    "Security",
    "Foreign Policy"
  ]
}

In The Media

Russia and Syria

The Russian government's support for the Assad regime and refusal to endorse UN sanctions against Syria has earned Moscow condemnation from Arab citizens and diplomats alike.

By Matthew Rojansky

Published on Feb 7, 2012

Source: BBC World News

In an interview with the BBC, Carnegie’s Matthew Rojansky argued that Russia’s influence and legitimacy in the Middle East are at an all-time low. Russia’s support for the Syrian government represents “the last nail in the coffin of what used to be a pretty substantial role for Russia during the Cold War,” Rojansky said. From the perspective of ordinary Arabs and the Arab League, “Russia is standing absolutely on the wrong side of this issue.” He noted that Russian state television continues to portray protestors as terrorists who are “seeking to bring down legitimate governments” – a reference to anti-government protestors in the Arab world and in Russia. In the end, he concluded, Russia’s main interest in blocking UN sanctions against the Assad regime is to prevent NATO intervention in Syria.

About the Author

Matthew Rojansky

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.

Recent Work

Paper
An Opportunity for Ambition: Ukraine’s OSCE Chairmanship
- Matthew Rojansky
In The Media
Presiding Over the OSCE: Challenges and Opportunities
- Matthew Rojansky

Political Reform Security Foreign Policy Middle East Syria Caucasus Russia

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.

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Article
An Army of “Sons of the Regions”: Syria’s Post-Assad Military Order
The country’s armed forces have been reorganized as an emergency measure to prevent national fragmentation, however their diffuse structure on the ground may, in the future, serve only to reinforce fragmentation.
Kheder Khaddour
Commentary
Emissary
At Stake in Armenia’s Election: Peace and Russian Influence
Regardless of the outcome, there’s another path to ensuring that progress doesn’t stall.
Zaur Shiriyev
Commentary
Emissary
Trump and Xi Are Angling for Three Years of Stability
But their "principal to principal" model will only be as effective as the political strength of each leader back home.
Damien Ma
Paper
China’s Police and Security Cooperation Agreements
China’s Ministry of Public Security is often portrayed as a domestic law enforcement agency, but it is also a global security actor. This paper explores how MPS has used international law enforcement and security cooperation agreements—over 200 since 2006—to advance China’s vision of security in a changing global environment.
Sophie Zhuang, Sheena Chestnut Greitens, Cameron Waltz
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Could Migrants From India and Africa Solve Russia’s Labor Shortage?
The demands of the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine, demographic problems, and public hostility toward Central Asians mean Russia does not have enough workers.
Salavat Abylkalikov

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Article

An Army of “Sons of the Regions”: Syria’s Post-Assad Military Order

The country’s armed forces have been reorganized as an emergency measure to prevent national fragmentation, however their diffuse structure on the ground may, in the future, serve only to reinforce fragmentation.

Kheder Khaddour

Commentary

Emissary

At Stake in Armenia’s Election: Peace and Russian Influence

Regardless of the outcome, there’s another path to ensuring that progress doesn’t stall.

Zaur Shiriyev

Commentary

Emissary

Trump and Xi Are Angling for Three Years of Stability

But their "principal to principal" model will only be as effective as the political strength of each leader back home.

Damien Ma

Recruit polices vow as they join in the police at Beijing Public Security Bureau on February 18, 2011 in Beijing, China. (

Paper

China’s Police and Security Cooperation Agreements

China’s Ministry of Public Security is often portrayed as a domestic law enforcement agency, but it is also a global security actor. This paper explores how MPS has used international law enforcement and security cooperation agreements—over 200 since 2006—to advance China’s vision of security in a changing global environment.

Sophie Zhuang, Sheena Chestnut Greitens, Cameron Waltz

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Could Migrants From India and Africa Solve Russia’s Labor Shortage?

The demands of the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine, demographic problems, and public hostility toward Central Asians mean Russia does not have enough workers.

Salavat Abylkalikov