About a decade ago, the war in Syria helped to forge an unlikely partnership in the Middle East between Turkey and Russia. It is now unraveling. In its place, Turkey is helping Ukraine to establish a foothold in a part of the world where President Vladimir Putin of Russia previously enjoyed considerable influence.
The partnership between Mr. Putin and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has always been equivocal, and for a time, it seemed that the war in Syria might draw them into a direct confrontation. Ankara was supporting the rebels trying to topple Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s brutal dictator, while Moscow was intervening to prop him up. Ultimately, however, both powers accommodated each other.
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Turkey Sees Short-Term Pain, Long-Term Gain in the Iran War
