Russia's Position on Syria

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

In The Media

Russia's Position on Syria

Although Russia has already missed its opportunity to salvage key political and economic interests in Syria, it will likely continue to oppose foreign military intervention and efforts aimed at regime change.

By Matthew Rojansky

Published on Feb 24, 2012

Source: BBC World Service

In an interview with BBC World Service, Carnegie’s Matthew Rojansky argued that Russia has likely missed its opportunity to salvage its “big ticket interests” in Syria, such as access to the Mediterranean through ports in Tartus and Latakia and oil field contracts. Rojansky noted that the Kremlin remains categorically opposed to the idea of foreign military intervention to bring about regime change in Syria. Outside interference in Syria’s domestic affairs represents “a clear red line for the Russians,” he explained. Nevertheless, Russia could still play “a key diplomatic role” in evacuating the Assad family or “brokering a real cease fire deal,” he concluded.

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

Commentary
Strategic Europe
To Survive, the EU Must Split
Leaning into a multispeed Europe that includes the UK is the way Europeans don’t get relegated to suffering what they must, while the mighty United States and China do what they want.
Rym Momtaz
Paper
U.S. Peace Mediation in the Middle East: Lessons for the Gaza Peace Plan
As Gaza peace negotiations take center stage, Washington should use the tools that have proven the most effective over the past decades of Middle East mediation.
Amr Hamzawy, Sarah Yerkes, Kathryn Selfe
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
Russia’s Unspoken Condition for Ending the War Is Zelensky’s Resignation
Insisting on Zelensky’s resignation is not just a personal vendetta, but a clear signal that the Kremlin would like to send to all its neighbors: even if you manage to put up some resistance, you will ultimately pay the price—including on a personal level.
Vladislav Gorin
Commentary
Carnegie Politika
For Putin, Increasing Russia’s Nuclear Threat Matters More Than the Triad’s Modernization
For Putin, upgrading Russia’s nuclear forces was a secondary goal. The main aim was to gain an advantage over the West, including by strengthening the nuclear threat on all fronts. That made growth in missile arsenals and a new arms race inevitable.
Maxim Starchak
Commentary
Strategic Europe
Europolis, Where Europe Ends
A prophetic Romanian novel about a town at the mouth of the Danube carries a warning: Europe decays when it stops looking outward. In a world of increasing insularity, the EU should heed its warning.
Thomas de Waal

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Commentary

Strategic Europe

To Survive, the EU Must Split

Leaning into a multispeed Europe that includes the UK is the way Europeans don’t get relegated to suffering what they must, while the mighty United States and China do what they want.

Rym Momtaz

Trump stands in front of a blue screen reading "Board of Peace"

Paper

U.S. Peace Mediation in the Middle East: Lessons for the Gaza Peace Plan

As Gaza peace negotiations take center stage, Washington should use the tools that have proven the most effective over the past decades of Middle East mediation.

Amr Hamzawy, Sarah Yerkes, Kathryn Selfe

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

Russia’s Unspoken Condition for Ending the War Is Zelensky’s Resignation

Insisting on Zelensky’s resignation is not just a personal vendetta, but a clear signal that the Kremlin would like to send to all its neighbors: even if you manage to put up some resistance, you will ultimately pay the price—including on a personal level.

Vladislav Gorin

Commentary

Carnegie Politika

For Putin, Increasing Russia’s Nuclear Threat Matters More Than the Triad’s Modernization

For Putin, upgrading Russia’s nuclear forces was a secondary goal. The main aim was to gain an advantage over the West, including by strengthening the nuclear threat on all fronts. That made growth in missile arsenals and a new arms race inevitable.

Maxim Starchak

Commentary

Strategic Europe

Europolis, Where Europe Ends

A prophetic Romanian novel about a town at the mouth of the Danube carries a warning: Europe decays when it stops looking outward. In a world of increasing insularity, the EU should heed its warning.

Thomas de Waal