Foreign Policy - Russia

Russia in Syria

• September, 2015: Trump called for America to abandon Syria to Russia, claiming that Russia would achieve US goals by eradicating ISIS. “Donald Trump accused his Republican presidential rivals on Friday night of wanting to ‘start World War III over Syria,’ and suggested that the United States should instead let Russia deal with the problem.[…] Trump used a child-like voice to imitate those who have questioned the depth of his global expertise. He switched to a deeply serious voice to imitate his rivals who have provided details: ‘If I'm president, I will engage the sixth fleet. I will do this, I will do that, I will attack Russia and Syria.’ This is what they say,’ Trump said. ‘They want to start World War III over Syria. Give me a break. You know, Russia wants to get ISIS, right? We want to get ISIS. Russia is in Syria - maybe we should let them do it? Let them do it.’” (Washington Post, September 26, 2015)
• November, 2016: Russia renewed a bombing campaign in northern Syria hours after a recently-elected Donald Trump spoke on the phone with Russian president Vladimir Putin. “Russia launched a major military offensive in Syria on Tuesday, hours after President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the need to join forces to combat international terrorism. […] Trump, who expressed respect for Putin during the campaign, spoke with the Russian leader by phone Monday. The two leaders discussed a range of issues, including ‘threats and challenges facing both nations,’ the Trump transition team said in a statement. The Kremlin said Putin congratulated Trump on his election triumph, and the leaders agreed on ‘uniting efforts in the fight with the common enemy No. 1 -- international terrorism and extremism.’ The Kremlin pledged to build a relationship based on mutual respect and non-interference.” (USA Today, November 16, 2016)
• Russia’s renewed aerial assault of Aleppo after Putin’s conversation with Trump was in direct defiance of Obama Administration efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in the city. “Russia launched new strikes in Syria on Tuesday involving carrier-borne jets and long-range missiles as opposition activists on the ground reported that the first airstrikes in nearly a month struck the besieged, rebel-held parts of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. […] The Russian blitz began hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump discussed Syria over the phone and agreed on the need to combine efforts in the fight against what the Kremlin called their No. 1 enemy – ‘international terrorism and extremism.’ The Obama administration has been trying to negotiate a cease-fire in Aleppo, a city that has become the epicenter of the war between President Bashar Assad and rebels fighting to topple him, some of whom receive U.S. aid. From the militants' side, al-Qaida's Syrian affiliate is fighting alongside the rebels, but the Islamic State group has no presence in Aleppo city.” (Chicago Tribune, November 16, 2016)
• National intelligence officials warned that Russia and Turkey were expanding military operations in Syria in response to Trump’s victory in the 2016 election. “U.S. intelligence officials expect Turkey and Russia to expand military operations in Syria over the next two months as President-elect Donald Trump's transition team takes over and President Barack Obama exits the White House. The Obama administration has stood back as Turkish forces have pushed deeper into northern Syria and as Russia has escalated airstrikes on eastern Aleppo this week, pummeling the city with cruise missiles and fighter jets launched from its aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean. A shake-up this week among Trump's national security team has further emboldened Turkey and Russia in Syria, according to a U.S. intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal assessments.” (Chicago Tribune, November 18, 2016)
• Under Obama, Russia and Turkey restrained their offensives in Syria, but Trump’s election victory apparently gave them confidence that they could grab territory without fear of future retribution by the United States. “The official said Ankara and Moscow are taking advantage of confusing diplomatic signals from Trump's team about future U.S. policy in Syria. ‘They will do what they can in the next two months,’ said the official. ‘The expectation is they will put pressure on’ to take more territory. Both countries were ‘in a wait and see mode’ before the election, the official said. Both apparently see opportunities now that Trump has won. In the past week, Russia and its ally, Syrian President Bashar Assad, have stepped up their attacks on rebel forces in Aleppo.” (Chicago Tribune, November 18, 2016)