Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Syria’s then-president Bashar al-Assad at the Kremlin in July. (Reuters/Sputnik)
ABC NEWS | Published December 15, 2024
Just 12 hours before the fall of Damascus, Russia, Iran and Türkiye met on the sidelines of the Doha Forum.
Top of the agenda: the impending collapse of the Syrian regime.
The trio were trying to determine if Bashar al-Assad’s government was salvageable.
The three countries issued a strong statement calling for the preservation of Syria’s territorial integrity, and for negotiations between rebel group Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Bashar al-Assad.
But by this point, the diplomats most likely knew it was all over.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov became increasingly frustrated as the interviewer pressed him on the unfolding situation.
“If you want me to say we lost in Syria, we are so desperate … if this is what you need, let’s continue,” Mr Lavrov said.
“But my point is I am not in the business of guessing what is going to happen. We are trying to not allow terrorists to prevail, even if they say they are no longer terrorists.”
Hours later, Damascus fell.
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SOURCE: www.abc.net.au
RELATED: What the fall of Assad says about Putin’s ambitions for Russia’s great-power status
A Damascus motorist displays his loyalty by decorating his car with a poster showing Bashar al-Assad and Vladimir Putin. Friedrich Stark / Alamy Stock Photo
Published December 15, 2024
The lightning-fast collapse of the Assad regime in Syria has sent shock waves across the Middle East. The disposal of the dictator whose family had ruled the country with an iron fist for more than half a century has triggered a potentially seismic shift in the balance of power in the region.
But there are also important repercussions beyond Syria and its neighbourhood – with Russia one of the more significantly affected powers.
Back in 2015, Assad’s regime had been on the brink of collapse. It was saved by a Russian intervention – with support from Iran and Hezbollah. Launched in the context of a growing threat from Islamic State, Russia enabled Assad’s regime to push back other rebel forces as well.
Over the years that followed, it enabled Assad to consolidate control over the capital, other key cities, and in particular the coastal region where Russia had two military bases.
The future of these bases is now uncertain. The Russian naval base in Tartus – which dates back to Soviet times – as well as an air base at Khmeimim, established south-east of Latakia in 2015, were vital assets for Russia to project military force in the Mediterranean sea and bolster the Kremlin’s claim to Russian great-power status.
Given the importance of the bases for Russia and the significant investments made over the years in propping the regime, Assad’s fall reflects badly on Russia’s capabilities to assert credible influence on the global stage.
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SOURCE: www.theconversation.com
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