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{
  "authors": [
    "Petr Topychkanov"
  ],
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  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
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Source: Getty

In The Media
Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center

Western and Arab Officials Call on Moscow to Take a Clear Stance to Put an End to Bloodshed in Syria

Russia lacks the resources for dealing with the situation in Syria and, despite its current support of the Bashar al-Assad government, will likely lose influence in the country regardless of the future political situation.

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By Petr Topychkanov
Published on Feb 20, 2012
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Eurasia in Transition

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Source: Voice of Russia's Inside View

Disappointed and bewildered by Russia's continued backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, some Western and Arab dignitaries and political analysts have called on Moscow to take a clear stance and urgent action to put an end to bloodshed in Syria.

Speaking on Voice of Russia, Carnegie Moscow Center’s Peter Topychkanov argued that Russia lacks the resources for dealing with the situation in Syria and, despite its current support of the Assad government, will likely lose influence in the country regardless of the future political situation. Even if Assad is able to stay in power, Topychkanov said, he will have learned a lesson about Moscow’s decreased international leverage, forcing him to look elsewhere for allies, possibly to China and Iran.

While Topychkanov was hesitant to speculate on the endgame in Syria, he acknowledged that a “Libyan scenario” is possible, but suggested that the international community should focus more on near-term options to curb the violence and better understand the situation on the ground instead of attempting to predict an outcome.

About the Author

Petr Topychkanov

Former Fellow, Nonproliferation Program, Moscow Center

Topychkanov was a fellow in the Carnegie Moscow Center’s Nonproliferation Program.

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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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