Valdai Club

MENA countries have already begun to adjust, internalize lessons, and reduce risks. Other regions may want to look at the Middle East more closely as it offers valuable insights into policy behaviour and adaptive strategies that are likely to become increasingly relevant in coming years, Alexey Khlebnikov writes.

The de-synchronized and divergent processes of a worsening economic situation in Syria on the one hand, and the diplomatic normalization with the regional actors on the other are the most important issues to look at when assessing whether Syria is on the way out of its decade-long crisis, writes Alexey Khlebnikov, a Middle East expert with the Russian International Affairs Council.

After a series of “desert rallies” between Russian and American patrols the US deployed additional military personnel and half a dozen armored Bradley vehicles to Syria. It also sent in radar systems and increased fighter jet patrols over the region to better protect American and coalition forces

On October 9, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the beginning of a new military operation in Syria. “The Turkish Armed Forces, together with the Syrian National Army, just launched #OperationPeaceSpring against PKK/YPG and Daesh terrorists in northern Syria. Our mission is to prevent the creation of a terror corridor across our southern border, and to bring peace to the area,” Erdogan tweeted. According to Valdai Club expert Alexey Khlebnikov, Turkey doesn’t really want to start a large-scale military operation against the Kurds, since it will come at a considerable price.