Turkish-Russian partnership under fresh stress test in Syria

Turkey’s appeal for Western backing in Syria has cast a pall on its partnership with Russia, whose toughening attitude on the ground is a reminder to Ankara of what could happen down the road.
A member of the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, searches through the rubble and debris in a building at the site of reported airstrikes on the rebel-held town of Ariha in the northern countryside of Idlib province, Syria, Jan. 30, 2020.
A member of the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, searches through the rubble and debris in a building at the site of reported airstrikes on the rebel-held town of Ariha in the northern countryside of Idlib province, Syria, Jan. 30, 2020. - Aaref Watad/AFP via Getty Images
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Fehim Tastekin
@fehimtastekin
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s offer to the West to return to the “regime-change” game in Syria seems to be getting a hardball response from Russia on the ground, fueling uncertainty over the future of Turkish-Russian collaboration in the conflict.

Russian-Syrian air raids in Idlib, where Turkey’s military buildup has come to shield the rebels holding sway in the province, have recently expanded to northern areas under Turkish control since Operation Euphrates Shield in 2016.

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