US Helsinki Commission to examine Russia’s role, future in Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is set to hold a hearing on Feb. 3 to discuss Russia’s legacy in Syria and prospects for ending Moscow’s influence in the country.
The hearing will focus on Russia’s political and military support for the former Syrian government under Bashar al-Assad, as well as the feasibility of forcing a Russian withdrawal from Syrian territory. Witnesses are also expected to assess Moscow’s capacity to resist international efforts aimed at curbing its influence in Syria and the wider region.
The discussions come in the wake of the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a development analysts describe as a historic opportunity for Syria and its international partners to weaken Russia’s ability to project power across the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Africa.
Russia maintains its only air and naval bases outside the former Soviet Union on Syrian soil. These bases played a central role in Moscow’s military intervention in support of Assad, providing critical backing to a campaign that crushed the Syrian uprising and left hundreds of thousands of civilians dead over more than a decade of conflict.
Policy experts argue that reducing Russia’s military, political, and economic footprint in Syria could help lay the groundwork for a more durable regional peace. Moscow has been widely accused of fueling instability through prolonged military engagement, economic dependency, and political leverage in conflict-affected states.
The debate is unfolding amid broader regional and international discussions over Syria’s future alignment and the continued presence of foreign forces, as the country seeks to emerge from years of war and political isolation.