It appears that Russia has lost Syria. While Assad is winning for now, and will receive some indirect Western assistance in the form of air strikes against the IS, he will eventually lose. Whoever replaces him will likely be West leaning, and so Russia loses another ally.

Would Russia be so brazen in their operations in Ukraine or so unwilling to give up their influence in the East if they still had Syria in their circle of friends? Is the Ukrainian situation a result of the West’s successful erosion of Russia’s circle of influence?

Topics: politics, war, history, international relations, foreign policy, conflict