Kerry's Moscow Visit: A Testament to Russia's Success in Syria and Beyond

Russia's efforts, both diplomatic and military, to solve the deadly Syrian crisis have been a success as evidenced by the fact that US State Secretary John Kerry visited Russia three times in twelve months, Chinese experts say.

"Today Washington is reaching out to Moscow, not the other way round," analyst Wan Chengcai told the Xinhua News Agency. The expert on Russian foreign policy also called Kerry's latest visit a testament to Russia's achievements in Syria.

The Moscow-led multinational campaign has been largely credited with helping the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its local allies to turn the tide of war at a time when Damascus-led forces were struggling to contain the foreign-sponsored insurgency.

Russian Su-30 jets landing at the Hmeymim Air Base.

© Sputnik / Dmitri Vinogradov

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Wan Chengcai noted that the multinational operation aimed against Daesh and other radical groups in the Arab Republic marked Russia's return to the international arena as a global power. Feng Yujun, Director of the Russia Institute at the Beijing-based China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, shared this sentiment.

"Moscow's campaign in Syria has helped Russia to bring the United States to the negotiating table… not ignore Russia or isolate it in international politics," Feng Yujun noted. "In this respect Russia has reached its tactical goal."

Washington initially focused its strategy on the premise that Bashar al-Assad had to be removed from power prior to any peace talks. The US leadership currently supports the UN-sponsored peace process that offers a framework for settling the deadly crisis through diplomatic means and does not specify the fate of al-Assad. 

Kerry's visit, Wan Chengcai added, will help to bring Russia and the United States closer together at a time of a cold spell in bilateral relations.

"Both countries have indicated that they are ready to strengthen bilateral ties," Wan Chengcai observed, emphasizing that Moscow and Washington understand that they don't benefit from escalating tensions.