The Obama administration is struggling to make sense of Russia’s military intervention in Syria as key U.S. allies already are adapting to the rapid shift in the landscape.
Administration officials insisted that Moscow’s apparent move to shore up President Bashar al-Assad’s government had not changed U.S. policy that Assad must give way to a more inclusive government in a peaceful transition. But German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in a news conference after a European Union summit, said Assad must be included in peace talks. It’s a clear sign from a U.S. ally of a softening of the common hard line against the dictator.
“We have to speak with many actors, this includes Assad, but others as well,” Merkel said. “Not only with the United States of America, Russia, but with important regional partners, Iran and Sunni countries such as Saudi Arabia.”
Meanwhile, an Israeli military official announced that a joint Israeli-Russian team to coordinate “deconflicting” activities in Syria would meet next week to ensure that Russia’s activities don’t harm Israel’s.
Russia has backed Assad through the four years of civil war against his regime and has maintained a naval base at the port city of Tartus. But in recent weeks, Moscow has expanded its presence in the country to the largest extent in more than 40 years, constructing buildings near the airfield in Latakia capable of housing combat troops and stationing high-performance fighter jets and ground attack aircraft there, according to satellite imagery released this week by IHS Jane’s.
Moscow says it’s joining the fight against the Islamic State, but U.S. officials are skeptical.
“We continue to have legitimate concerns and questions about Russia’s overall intent,” based on what’s been seen coming into Syria, State Department spokesman John Kirby said Thursday.
While saying they would welcome “constructive” Russian contributions to the fight against the Islamic State, administration officials believe Moscow is trying to shore up Assad’s government
That’s the message President Obama plans to deliver to Russian President Vladimir Putin next week when the two meet on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.
“He will make clear once again that Russia doubling down on their support for the Assad regime is a losing bet, the likely consequences of them doing so is to only deepen and expand the ongoing crisis in that country that doesn’t serve the interests of either the Russian people or the American people,” Earnest said.
In the absence of a comprehensive response to the latest Russian moves in Syria, the administration has been forced to re-open military-to-military contacts that were shut off as punishment for Moscow’s invasion of Crimea in 2014, and has come under harsh criticism for leaving a vacuum that Putin rushed to fill.
“Russia’s recent military escalation in Syria is a further reminder that, when the U.S. does not take the initiative, others will fill the vacuum, often in ways that are harmful to our interests,” retired Gen. David Petraeus, former CIA director and commander of U.S. troops in the Middle East, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.
“Russia’s actions to bolster Assad increase the imperative of support for the moderate opposition and Syrian civilians. We should not allow Russia to push us into coalition with Assad, which appears to be President Putin’s intention.”
When asked by reporters, Kirby denied that Moscow’s moves had taken the administration by surprise.
“They have a long relationship with Syria … so not a surprise to us that they have continued to reinforce themselves there,” he said. “We’re not ignorant of what has been added to the presence and how it has been added to the presence. What does remain unclear is the overall intent.”
He also downplayed any concerns about Merkel’s comments.
“We’re confident and comfortable here that our European allies and partners share the same ultimate goal in Syria.”
— Nicole Duran contributed to this report.
