Three years in Syria, Russia sums up achievements and challenges
On the third anniversary of the Russian campaign in Syria, Foreign Minister Lavrov summed up Moscow's achievements but conceded challenges persist.
Sept. 30 marked the third anniversary of the Russian military campaign in Syria. The third year has turned out to be one of the most challenging for Moscow. The system of coordination with diverse regional powers — whose interests, at times, diverge — that Moscow has diligently built has been jeopardized. Currently, Russia’s main problem is what to do in the face of the United States' intensified policy in Syria. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov summed up the political results of Moscow’s presence in Syria during a press conference on the margins of the UN General Assembly. In particular, he highlighted the following three outcomes that Moscow finds crucial:
1. The elimination of “terrorist hotbeds in southern Syria, Homs and eastern Ghouta,” as Lavrov put it. Due to Russian military and diplomatic support, Damascus re-established its authority over most of Syria, except for the zones still controlled by Turkey and the United States. For Russia, this question — whether to accept the partition of Syria before a political solution is found or to confront the allies and “conventional partners” — will be a central challenge of the next year. For now, however, Moscow spares no criticism of Washington.
“The main danger to Syria’s territorial integrity originates from the eastern bank of the Euphrates, where independent and autonomous structures are created under the direct control of the United States," Lavrov said during his visit to Sarajevo on Sept. 21. "We will insist that they should stop these unlawful actions. We have repeatedly voiced this request — both in the UN Security Council and to Americans directly."
Yet Russia avoids reprimanding Turkey in this way, instead accepting the armed opposition’s control over Idlib as a compromise. Moreover, Lavrov regularly emphasizes that the agreements on Idlib do not endanger the territorial integrity of Syria, contrary to the situation on the eastern bank of the Euphrates. This serves as a hint to Damascus that Moscow is still committed to the integrity of Syria and guarantees that Idlib will sooner or later return to the government. It is also a polite appeal to Ankara, meaning that allies are allowed more freedom in their actions.
