The visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Cairo and Amman on April 7-8 inaugurated an exceptional month for Moscow’s relations with the Arab world. Never has Russia had such an ambitious schedule rife with contacts with the Middle East, with items on the agenda ranging from politics to economics. The level of the meetings varied just as much, involving government ministers, businesspeople and public organizations.

The timing of Lavrov's trip must be highlighted. It practically followed the summit of the Arab League, which failed to broach the subject of restoring Syrian membership, much to Russia’s dismay and despite its efforts. Russian diplomatic sources told Al-Monitor that Moscow blames this on Washington; it is believed here that the Trump administration exerted pressure on some Arab states to leave the subject off the agenda. Russian officials say this seems contrary to US and certain Arab interests in terms of isolating Iran, because Syria's return to the Arab League would likely boost Arab and reduce Iranian influence in Syria.

However, there is still another challenge. As Al-Monitor learned, both Cairo and Amman have signaled their consent to Syria’s reinstatement. However, they expect to meet Damascus halfway and expect President Bashar al-Assad to go the other half. But Damascus’ arrogance has been impeding progress as it feels victorious and rejects any contacts with the Arab League’s representatives. Still, this is not the only problem caused by the defiance of both the Syrian administration and the country’s regional authorities. For example, Jordan has repeatedly complained about the detention of its citizens in Syria, including to Moscow. Russia, in turn, has recognized the problem posed by such Syrian behavior.

The repatriation of Syrian refugees and the resettlement of internally displaced persons is another matter at hand. The situation involving the Rukban camp close to Jordan’s border in a 55-kilometer-wide (34-mile) region around the American al-Tanf base is a burning issue. The United States opposes the closure of this camp. At first, civilians were said to be wary of returning home. However, since UN officials discovered the opposite attitude on the part of most camp inhabitants, Washington has adjusted its rhetoric. The Syrian government, Washington argued, lacks the necessary conditions to accommodate the returnees.