As Ukraine enters its third year of conflict with Russia, it sees an opportunity to assert its own interests and build relationships outside of Moscow's sphere of influence. This is exemplified by Ukraine's growing ties with Syria's newly formed Islamist government, offering a strategic partnership and aid in the form of a grain export deal.
Ukraine is forging its own way as an autonomous country - the very opposite of Putin's grim vision for its futureWhen the news from Ukraine ’s battlefields is grim and a Trump-led deal looms, showing diplomatic muscle abroad is a morale boost Two countries thousands of miles apart begin 2025 with their fates linked in blood by the interventions of Russia and their consequences.
The other is Syria, where the ousted dictator Bashar Al-Assad was able to quell numerous rebellions with the aid of Moscow’s firepower and sustain a regime of brutality and torture on the back of borrowed Russian security during the civil war. Putin was forthright in his expectations of a durable presence in the aftermath, defining Moscow’s role as “stabilising the legitimate power in Syria”.Ukraine glimpses opportunity.
Some of this is raw power play, rubbing the Kremlin’s nose in its failure to rescue Assad despite a heavy Russian military commitment, and comes with the added bonus of providing useful intelligence on Russian military facilities in Syria. When the news from Ukraine’s battlefields is grim and a Trump-led deal looks set to conclude Volodymyr Zelensky’s hopes of returning all Ukraine’s territory, showing diplomatic muscle abroad is a morale boost.
In short, the “great game” of alliances stretching from Europe via Turkey to Russia and the Middle East is back on again. The consequences will be far-reaching and not always as predictable as Washington or London would like, but that is the world as it is.between Israel and Iran. This is not always a straightforwardly battle between democracies and autocracies – the balance of power often outweighs this.
Ukraine Russia Syria International Diplomacy Geopolitics
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