Russia Seeks Regional Buy-In for Its Syria Plans

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Human rights campaigners in Moscow on April 2 released a report aiming to enlighten Russians about their country’s part in the Syrian conflict and related abuses. More conventional statements coming out of Moscow last week warned that Western policies designed to contain Damascus could drive more refugees into Europe and accused the United States of deliberately fostering instability in northeast Syria. Such statements reflect the mix of military engagement and diplomatic leverage that Moscow is using in pursuit of a settlement that keeps President Bashar al-Assad in power...