Russia

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The desperate alliance of Turkey and Saudi Arabia

Obviously, long-time U.S. allies Turkey and Saudi Arabia are extremely unhappy with the U.S.'s policy change over Syria in particular and the Middle East in general. Both countries long refused to face reality and did everything to hinder the new U.S. (and indeed Western) policy that prioritized the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) over regime change in Syria.

Putin Needs 'Phone Call' to End War in Syria, UK's Hammond Says

It is Russian President Vladimir Putin who can bring the civil war in Syria to an end, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has said.

It will depend on "whether the Russians are prepared to use their influence" to remove Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Independent quotes him as saying on The Andrew Marr Show.

Putin, Obama discuss Syria in phone call

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama agreed to intensify diplomatic and other cooperation by implementing an agreement on Syria struck at talks in Munich, the Kremlin said on Feb. 14. 

Major powers agreed on Feb. 12 to a temporary "cessation of hostilities" in Syria. The pause was due to begin in a week's time. 

Turkish Army Shells Kurds in Northern Syria

Targets of the People's Protection Units (YPG), the armed wing the self-proclaimed Kurdish governing body in Norther Syria, was bombarded by Turkish artillery, a Turkish daily has reported.

Hürriyet Daily News quotes security sources as telling private broadcaster CNNTürk there were two separate shellings, which were carried out in retaliation to attacks coming from YPG positions.

Unrealistic policies created our problems

There is only one reason for all our problems stemming from Syria today: When the first protests started in Syria, Turkey was not able to make a sound evaluation. 

The possible outcomes of a civil war erupting in Syria were not correctly predicted. The first and biggest mistake was that it was determined the current regime would immediately collapse.   

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