The unpredictability of Russia’s Syria policy troubles both its allies and enemies who worry the Kremlin may be selling empty promises ahead of upcoming peace talks in Geneva
The gamble made by Damascus and its allies is that the US will be in a hurry to make any achievement in the Syrian crisis, and will accept the idea of Assad’s nomination in the coming elections due to domestic reasons related to their own upcoming election season
In the wake of Aleppo’s fall and the upcoming peace talks in Geneva, Moscow moves to obtain the upper hand on Tehran and Hezbollah in securing its interests in Syria
Tensions rise between the two key powers as Russia issues firm statement warning any side of retaliation if warring parties attempt to obstruct the evacuation of locals
Does sharing Syria in its current state mean dividing it among its occupying powers? The facts say that the forces which control Syria today will not be able to coexist within this division, Walid Bunni argues
President Bashar al-Assad has accused the US of sponsoring terrorist groups in Syria by labeling them ‘moderate opposition’. In an interview with the Russian TV channels, Russia 24 and NTV, the Syrian president said the United States tried to promote the idea of so-called moderate opposition in Syria.
Following is the full text of the interview:
Interim government’s minister for health calls on international community to pressure belligerents to stop indiscriminate shelling of Aleppo after 56 civilians were killed on Friday
Rebel groups voice willingness to negotiate safe passage for civilians after withdrawing from Aleppo’s Old City
Coalition U.N. envoy rejects Moscow’s veto of a seven-day cease-fire aimed at allowing desperately needed aid to enter the besieged eastern Aleppo neighborhoods
De Mistura denied his intention to resign from his post, expecting Obama and Putin will continue their efforts to reduce the level of violence and to increase humanitarian aid till President-elect Donald Trump takes office early next year
Trump symbolically and practically has given a green light to finish off Aleppo city, and he has become, along with Obama, partners with Putin in the most horrific stage the city has endured in its long history, writes Abdel Wahab Bedarkhan
Russian FM says proposed opposition conference organized by Paris will hinder any upcoming Syrian-Syrian peace talks
Damascus has rejected a proposal from Moscow to host a broad conference for the Syrian opposition with “Russia’s guarantees” aiming to form an expanded opposition coalition ahead of possible peace negotiations in Geneva
Confusion heads political expectations worldwide, with cautious optimism and wishful thinking being shared between the current US administration, Russia, Iran and Assad, as concrete details around what a Trump presidency would look like remain unclear
The advent of Trump to the presidency is likely to draw the curtain on this era, which requires relying more than before on subjective factors, and inventing means of resistance which are less costly to the revolution, and less dependent on external support
Despite the president-elect’s promises to withdraw American power from the region and revert to a more isolationist strategy, history shows us that major changes in US foreign policy rarely occur with the rotation of presidential administrations, writes Eyyad al-Jaafari
Event will include leading domestic and internationally-based opposition figures in the Syrian capital with support from Russia and the Assad government
Trump will not support the armed opposition and will not support intervention in Syria, loyalists say, but he will strongly support fighting terrorists
Aleppo’s opposition fears Russian plans for all-out offensive after claims point to rebel’s use of chemical weapons in regime areas
Russian PM says high-level Israeli officials expressed their desire for someone who can control the situation on the ground in Syria
