Bogged Down in Ukraine, Russia Pays a Price in Syria

Russia’s best hope, analysts say, may be to negotiate with Turkey — which backs some of the rebel groups — to help it maintain its Syrian bases. But it’s far from clear that Turkey would have the power or influence to persuade the rebels to accept such a deal. “If they can secure their bases and reach an agreement with Turkey, they could be reasonably satisfied,” said Antonio Giustozzi, a scholar at the Royal United Services Institute in London who has tracked Russia’s presence in Syria.