The Duran — Vladimir Putin Outlines Road Map For Syrian Peace Settlement

In the aftermath of the Syrian army’s victory in Aleppo Russian President Putin has been going all out to achieve a peace settlement in Syria.

To this end Russia’s Foreign and Defence Ministers spoke with their Turkish and Iranian counterparts yesterday, and Russia is inviting Iranian President Rouhani to visit Moscow. 

There is also talk of a tripartite summit involving Russia, Turkey and Iran to discuss a Syrian settlement....

Putin’s proposal is a follow up on the negotiations that led to the final agreement for the withdrawal of the Jihadis in Aleppo, which in the end took place bilaterally between Russia and Turkey, cutting out the US.

It reflects Russian disillusion with the US and its negotiating stance over Syria. The Russians feel that they twice painstakingly negotiated deals with the US in February and September in Syria, with commitments from the US to separate ‘moderate rebels’ from the Jihadis and to withdraw the Jihadis from Aleppo, which the US in the end never honoured.

Beyond that it undoubtedly reflects Russian anger at the extraordinary campaign the US orchestrated against Russia in the run up to the Syrian army’s victory in Aleppo, in which the Russians were accused of war crimes even as they were trying to negotiate the withdrawal of Jihadi fighters and civilians from eastern Aleppo....

The Duran
Vladimir Putin outlines road map for Syrian peace settlement

Alexander Mercouris