As relations between the United States and Russia begin to show signs of improvement under President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin, the potential implications for global conflicts are vast. But nowhere is this potential more significant than in Syria. After more than a decade of brutal civil war, foreign intervention, and humanitarian crisis, Syria stands on the cusp of a fragile transition. The recent fall of President Bashar al-Assad and the rise of interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa mark a turning point, one that presents both opportunity and peril. A serious and sustained US-Russia rapprochement could be the key to ensuring this transition leads to stability, not deeper fragmentation.

The end of the Assad era, while celebrated by many Syrians, has not brought immediate relief. Instead, it has unveiled the deep scars left by years of conflict, foreign meddling, and economic decay. The new leadership faces not only the monumental task of rebuilding the state but also navigating the complex geopolitical chessboard that Syria has become. With Turkish troops in the north, Israeli airstrikes in the south, and American and Russian forces maintaining a strategic presence, Syria remains a theater for great power rivalry.

Israel’s recent expansion into parts of the Golan Heights and southern Syria has raised regional alarms. These moves-described by Israeli officials as deterrence measures aimed at Turkish encroachment-are viewed by many in the region as a provocation that risks reigniting armed conflict. The longstanding 1974 disengagement agreement between Syria and Israel, which had largely preserved peace along the border, now hangs by a thread. Meanwhile, Türkiye continues to assert its influence over the interim government in Damascus, further muddying the waters of Syrian sovereignty.

Amid this volatility, the possibility of American-Russian cooperation in Syria presents a rare chance for constructive diplomacy. The two powers........

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