Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent visits to Syria, Egypt and Turkey will consolidate his nation's strategic presence in the Middle East and likely increase his chances of winning another presidential term, says Yang Hong, a professor of international relations at Shanghai International Studies University, writing for
The Paper.
The Russian media's plaudits and the Western criticism are both expected to bolster Russian public support for the president, the scholar said. This will likely offset the impact of what Yang sees as a US and Western plan to interfere in the Russian election. While the Trump administration’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is expected to create instability, Putin has won a rare opportunity to exert influence outweighing the nation's own capability, the scholar said.
Putin’s diplomatic moves are believed to pose a severe challenge to Trump. Now that Russia has started withdrawing its troops from Damascus and Islamic State has apparently been defeated, the US is left with no legitimate reason to maintain a military presence in the region, Yang said. Russia’s support of the position of Egypt and Turkey – both traditional US allies – on Jerusalem will likely complicate Trump’s plans in the Middle East, he added.