Turkey and the Kurds Turn to Russia to Solve Problems Sparked by U.S. Exit from Syria
Turkey and the Kurds Turn to Russia to Solve Problems Sparked by U.S. Exit from Syria by Liz Sly – Washington Post
Both Turkey and the Syrian Kurds are now pinning their hopes on Russia to resolve the problems created by President Trump’s abrupt decision last month to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, which has threatened to ignite a new war between the United States’ Kurdish and Turkish allies.
Turkish officials said Wednesday that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is planning to visit Moscow this month for talks on Syria and other issues with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Kurds have already reached out to Russia for help to secure a deal with the Syrian government to fill the vacuum that will be left by the departure of U.S. troops, in the hope of averting a threatened Turkish attack, according to senior Kurdish officials.
These recent developments are set to reinforce Russia’s position as the dominant player in Syria. As if to underscore Moscow’s importance, Russian troops launched patrols over the past two days on the outskirts of Manbij, one of the most contested towns under U.S. control…
