Russian airstrikes in Syria: reactions and repercussions

Recent Russian airstrikes in Syria mark a new level of escalation in this four year old conflict, thrusting new uncertainties, risks and potential opportunities onto the agenda at a time when the international community is intensifying efforts to relaunch a political process. The panel discussed what these strikes mean for the internal and international dynamics of the conflict, whether they are likely to provoke wider radicalisation and escalation, and whethr there is any chance that the Russian intervention could in fact be used to open new political avenues.

Julien Barnes-Dacey is a Senior Policy Fellow at ECFR where he leads the organisation’s Syria work. Based in Syria from 2007 to 2010, he reported for the Wall Street Journal and the Christian Science Monitor.

Kadri Liik is a Senior Policy Fellow at ECFR. Before joining ECFR, Kadri was the director of the International Centre for Defence Studies in Estonia and she worked as a journalist in Russia.

Jeremy Shapiro is a Fellow at Brookings. Prior to re-joining Brookings, he was a member of the U.S. State Department’s policy planning staff, where he advised the secretary of state on U.S. policy in North Africa and the Levant.

Dr Rim Turkmani is co-founder of the Syrian Civil Coalition and a senior research fellow focused on the Syria conflict at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She took part in the Moscow 2 talks between the Syrian government and Syrian opposition and civil society.

Mark Leonard is the Director of ECFR.