Q&A
Dara Massicot, Aaron David Miller, Andrew S. Weiss
{
"authors": [
"Andrew S. Weiss"
],
"type": "legacyinthemedia",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center",
"Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center"
],
"collections": [],
"englishNewsletterAll": "ctw",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "russia",
"programs": [
"Russia and Eurasia"
],
"projects": [
"Eurasia in Transition"
],
"regions": [
"North America",
"United States",
"Middle East",
"Syria",
"Russia",
"Levant"
],
"topics": [
"Political Reform",
"Security",
"Foreign Policy",
"Global Governance"
]
}
Source: Getty
In The Media
Russia’s Position on Syria
Russia’s position on Syria is based in large part on Moscow’s concerns about the political repercussions of intervention. At the G20 Summit, Vladimir Putin attempted to create a de facto referendum on intervention.
Published on Sep 6, 2013
Source: WBEZ’s Worldview
Speaking on WBEZ Worldwide, Carnegie’s Andrew Weiss explained that Russia’s position on Syrian intervention has several origins: worries about the precedent created by a possible U.S. intervention, Russia’s greater sympathy for Shia Muslims, and concerns about Syria’s possible collapse and the shockwaves such an event would create. He explained that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s placing of Syria on the agenda at the G20 Summit was an attempt to create a referendum on Syrian intervention, much like the one carried out in the British parliament. Weiss cast doubt on the idea that the United States’ possible failure to intervene in Syria would be a major win for Putin, noting that foreign policy issues have a low salience in Russian society.
About the Author
Andrew S. Weiss
James Family Chair, Vice President for Studies
Andrew S. Weiss is the James Family Chair and vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he oversees research on Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia. His graphic novel biography of Vladimir Putin, Accidental Czar: the Life and Lies of Vladimir Putin, was published by First Second/Macmillan in 2022.
- Is the Russia-Ukraine War Vibe Shift Real?
- Russia in Africa: Examining Moscow’s Influence and Its LimitsResearch
- +11
Frances Z. Brown, Nate Reynolds, Priyal Singh, …
Recent Work
Political ReformSecurityForeign PolicyGlobal GovernanceNorth AmericaUnited StatesMiddle EastSyriaRussiaLevant
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
- Taking the Pulse: Does the EU Have a France Problem?Commentary
With its public finances in shambles, the far right polling at 35 percent ahead of the 2027 presidential election, and a growing protest movement, is France’s crisis a threat to the EU’s geopolitical awakening?
Rym Momtaz, ed.
- How the Latest Election Changed the Role of Russia’s ParliamentCommentary
Putin’s conservative staffing policies and search for ever greater control have cemented parliament’s transformation into a bureaucratic appendage of the executive branch.
Andrey Pertsev
- How to Talk About International Law So the Public Will ListenArticle
International law has a PR problem.
Federica Du Pasquier, Oona A. Hathaway, Stewart Patrick
- In the Kremlin’s AI Propaganda Blitz, the Noise Is the SignalCommentary
Russia’s AI-driven propaganda campaigns operate in a fragmented, chaotic, and often illogical manner. That’s not necessarily a problem for the Kremlin, though: It’s much easier to mimic genuine public debate that way.
Ilya Klishin
- Trump Blindsides Ukraine But Gives Europe an OpportunityCommentary
Ahead of a tough winter for Ukraine, Donald Trump’s swing back toward Russia bodes ill. But instead of panicking, Kyiv’s European allies are focusing on action.
Rym Momtaz
