urkish President Erdogan and Russian President Putin’s meeting on Wednesday was a timely opportunity to answer many questions regarding the near future of the Syrian conflict.
one day leaving the region is not a new one and the YPG has sought to hedge against that possibility from day one, as they sought an understanding with the Assad regime as well as with Russia.
Although the first names that come to mind are Western publishers or broadcasters that have a considerable share in the global information flow, Russia-based outlets have recently started asserting themselves in the sector.
forces from Syria was widely described as a gift to Turkey, Russia, and Iran and many politicians in the US were so quick to highlight that Ankara would be the only beneficiary of such a decision.
Last weekend a Turkish delegation of top bureaucrats and the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, had a meeting with their counterparts in Russia in order to discuss new developments in the region.
More importantly, Turkey’s potential far-reaching military operation towards the southern flank of Syria might also bring the Syrian regime, Russia and Iran into the geopolitical rivalry in the region, which is a situation Turkey would not want to get into.
Reuters claimed that the Syrian regime backed by Russian forces are in coordination with YPG leaders in the Manbij region and are working together in order to respond to the expected military assault by Turkey-backed Syrian rebels who are waiting for the ‘signal’ to come from the Turkish military.
European powers, Iran, and Russia all have already shown or will show interest in this landmass but it seems like it will be Russia that Turkey and its local partners will have to deal with.
How will Turkey renew its road map for a possible operation towards the east of the Euphrates under new circumstances? Will an ongoing balance of power among Turkey, Iran, and Russia change after the withdrawal? The answers to these questions are highly crucial to clarify the blurred picture.