Russia and Syria

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  "authors": [
    "Matthew Rojansky"
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  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
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  "collections": [
    "Arab Awakening"
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  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "russia",
  "programs": [
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  "regions": [
    "Middle East",
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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.

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