THE UNITED STATES ARE OUT OF SYRIA: WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WHAT IT MEANS?

The news on the withdrawal of American troops from Syria was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky. It always seems that the last weeks of December will unlikely bring any large-scale international events. However, the US President Donald Trump decided to surprise the whole world during the time before Christmas. On December 20, he announced that he is withdrawing the US military contingent (which has been there for the last 3 years) from Syria.

What does this mean for us? With the US withdrawal from Syria, Ukraine will face the threat of dramatic strengthening of Russia in the Middle East in 2019, which in turn increases the Kremlin’s openings and the room for its maneuver in matters of dilution or lifting of sanctions in the spring after the elections to the European Parliament.