The 22nd round of the Astana peace talks on Syria kicked off in Kazakhstan’s capital on Monday. The talks, held over two days, brought together Syria’s government, opposition and guarantor states Russia, Iran and Türkiye, with observers from Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and the UN.
The talks, initiated by Russia and supported by Türkiye and Iran, will focus on key issues such as the potential shifts in US policy toward Syria under President-elect Donald Trump, according to Russian presidential envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrentiev.
The talks will also address regional tensions, including the spread of the Gaza conflict into Lebanon, ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Syria and concerns over the risk of the regional conflict expanding further.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov stressed the importance of meeting before the end of the year to set priorities for Syria and the region.
This comes after the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights revealed a “secret” Russian-Syrian agreement to limit the movement of Hezbollah, Iranian forces and Iranian-backed militias in Syria.
As well as the Syrian conflict, the talks will cover issues such as prisoner releases, missing persons, humanitarian conditions, international support for peace efforts, Syria’s reconstruction and the return of refugees.
The current round of talks will focus on the political and military situation around Syria.
Lavrentiev said Russia will do everything possible to prevent the Gaza conflict from spreading to Syria.
Potential changes in US policy toward Syria under Trump are a major topic for discussion among the ceasefire guarantors, he added. Russia will focus on concrete actions and proposals, rather than just statements, especially as expectations grow that Trump will follow through on his pledge to withdraw US troops from Syria.
This move could shift the balance of power and affect the actions of various parties. The withdrawal is a key demand for Russia, Iran and Türkiye, the three guarantor states of the Astana process.
