Power Shifts: Putin and Erdogan's New Geopolitical Chessboard

The sudden fall of Syrian leader Bashar Assad has sparked strategic maneuvers between Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkiye's Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan's strategic advantage arises as Turkiye backs victorious Syrian rebels. This alters dynamics in Syria, Ukraine, and impacts Erdogan-Putin relations with the West.

The unexpected downfall of Bashar Assad has triggered a fresh wave of geopolitical calculations between Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The current landscape appears favorable to Ankara, which supported the victorious rebels, while Moscow grapples with a significant setback.

Soner Cagaptay, from the Washington Institute, remarked on Turkiye's tactical maneuvering, stating, "In the game of Czars vs. Sultans, this is Sultans 1 and Czars 0." The fall of Assad's regime opens a new chapter in the intricate Putin-Erdogan relationship, affecting broader geopolitical contexts including Syria and Ukraine.

Despite ongoing rivalries, Russia and Turkiye maintain robust economic and security links, even as they navigate their respective political agendas. As the dust settles, it remains unclear how these developments will influence the longstanding power dynamics between Moscow and Ankara.

(With inputs from agencies.)