Lending an “Old Friend” a Hand: Why Does Russia Back Syria

Abstract

The Syrian uprising against the Assad regime started in March 2011. While the Syrian uprising coincided with the wider Arab Spring movement that resulted in regime change in Tunisia and Egypt, in Syria, the uprising transformed into a civil war that continues to rage on without a shift in the regime or head of state. Iran and Russia are the principal supporters of the Assad regime responsible for its continued endurance. Moscow has supported the Assad regime, both on the ground and in the United Nations Security council (UNSC), by opposing any major change to the status quo. Moscow’s response to calls for military aid from Damascus has been vital to allowing the regime to maintain superiority throughout the bulk of hostilities. This chapter explores the factors behind Russian involvement in the Syrian conflict and Russia’s support for the Assad regime. These factors can be summarized as Moscow’s attempt to mitigate the power of the USA, a long-standing official line of anti-interventionism within the context of UN law, and the struggle against fundamentalism. Additionally, Russia’s geo-military and economic interests in Syria are of great importance to explain Moscow’s behavior in Syria and the UNSC. Thus, while Russia’s policies reflect its general approach to international politics, they also accord with its national interests. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020.