Turkey and Russia reach an agreement on Syria. Erdogan got more than he bargained for in the US, and then got the green light from the Russians.
Alas, Erdogan has played it well with the two major powers in Syria.
Alas, Erdogan has played it well with the two major powers in Syria.
The details of the Turkish-Russian agreement on Syria.
Importantly, the two sides affirm the Adana Agreement with Damascus in the 1990s, permitting Turkey to indefinitely operate inside Syria against the Kurds near its borders.
The two agreed to fight terrorists & separatists
Importantly, the two sides affirm the Adana Agreement with Damascus in the 1990s, permitting Turkey to indefinitely operate inside Syria against the Kurds near its borders.
The two agreed to fight terrorists & separatists
Compare the Putin-Erdogan agreement with the Pence-Erdogan one.
Tremendous month for Erdogan. This is what he managed to do in less than 2 weeks:
1. He got Trump to green-light his invasion of northern Syria
2. He ended the US presence in Syria
3. He ended the Kurdish project in Syria
4. He got Putin to formally back the Adana Agreement👆🏼
1. He got Trump to green-light his invasion of northern Syria
2. He ended the US presence in Syria
3. He ended the Kurdish project in Syria
4. He got Putin to formally back the Adana Agreement👆🏼
Good summary of the Russian-Turkish agreement on Syria
None of the items in the Russia-Turkey agreement is a concession for Ankara. Turkey is v happy to let Russia take control, instead of the Kurds.
This in fact can be part of the end-game or exit strategy for Turkey, since it doesn’t need heavy presence.
This in fact can be part of the end-game or exit strategy for Turkey, since it doesn’t need heavy presence.
Two myths since yesterday:
• Turkey was played by Russia (no, Turkey got exactly what it wanted in Syria from both Trump & Putin. Classic win-win)
• Turkey recognized Assad de facto (nothing new, Turkey has been indirectly sorting out Syria in favor of Assad since 2016)
• Turkey was played by Russia (no, Turkey got exactly what it wanted in Syria from both Trump & Putin. Classic win-win)
• Turkey recognized Assad de facto (nothing new, Turkey has been indirectly sorting out Syria in favor of Assad since 2016)
Occupying a large swathe of Syria by Turkey without an exit strategy would have been good for Ankara short-term or medium-term but not long-term.
The Putin-Erdogan deal has addressed that future dilemma, by:
1) ending the Kurdish statelet
2) filling the vacuum by Syrian forces
The Putin-Erdogan deal has addressed that future dilemma, by:
1) ending the Kurdish statelet
2) filling the vacuum by Syrian forces
The SDF has bowed to the agreement between Russia & Turkey. It formally started withdrawal from the zone agreed by Putin & Erdogan.
So the SDF has now accepted the reality as dedicated by Russia/Turkey & the US, agreeing to the Turkish plan and to the US “guard the oil” plan.
So the SDF has now accepted the reality as dedicated by Russia/Turkey & the US, agreeing to the Turkish plan and to the US “guard the oil” plan.
