2-0 Putin in Obama vs. Putin Contest

In their speeches during the U.N. General Assembly, Presidents Obama and Putin accused each other of violating the rules of law and democracy, inflaming the Syrian conflict and interfering in Ukraine’s internal affairs. After exchanging rhetorical blows reminiscent of the Cold War, both presidents went to a private meeting to speak in realistic terms.

Their conversation took 90 minutes. According to the statement from Obama’s press office, Putin had been “desperate” to meet Obama for the last few weeks. The Kremlin’s stance, on the other hand, is that Russia, having been given a choice of dates, finally gave in to American requests and agreed to meet. The White House confirmed that the main subject of the meeting was Russia’s violation of international laws in Ukraine, followed by the Syrian civil war, whereas Putin’s spokesperson said the leaders talked mainly about the Middle East, with Ukraine being a secondary topic.

No matter how the meeting really went, it is difficult to find an American commentator who would consider Obama a better strategist than Putin. The U.S. president abandoned Syria and its problems, making it possible for the Kremlin to take advantage of the situation and regain its control in the region, as well as dictate conditions of its withdrawal from Ukraine.

Speaking at the U.N. General Assembly for the first time since 2005, Putin proposed forming a wide coalition against the Islamic State. However, confirming that Russia, Syria, Iran and Iraq have already entered into an agreement of cooperation between their intelligence and security forces, he gave the impression that Russia would be the dominant force in such a coalition, with the U.S. a mere follower, and only on the condition that the U.S. accept that Bashar Assad will remain in power.

Previously interviewed on the CBS program “60 Minutes,” the Russian leader pointed out that the American plan to train 5,400 Syrian soldiers to fight against the Islamic State group had failed; barely 60 were trained and only five actually went to fight. Putin was right. In the meantime, Russia is preparing a bridgehead on the outskirts of Lattakia, where Russians have been sending at least two transport planes a day for the last 20 days. The planes have transported a control tower and barracks with space for 1,000 soldiers. Armored personnel carriers reached the Russian navy base in Tartus. Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis thinks that Moscow will try to use the Lattakia airport as its military operations center.

Obama and Putin have not spoken face to face for the last two years. They were seen clinking their champagne glasses wordlessly at the dinner organized by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Before their Monday meeting they shook hands without even pretending to smile. However, during the last two years Obama merely declared whom he would not support in Syria, whereas Putin consistently actualized a wide-scale strategy in the region.

Over the last few months Putin has met with King Abdullah of Jordan; Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi; Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince and deputy supreme commander of the United Arab Emirates in charge of at least three delegations of Syrian opposition; and the commander of the Quds Force in the Revolutionary Guard of Iran, Qasem Soleimani, who played a key part in forming Shia forces fighting the Islamic State group and who intends to do the same in Syria with the help of Russian air forces.

Both Russia and Iran want to keep Assad in power, since he supported the mullahs in their assistance to Libyan fighters in Hezbollah. Additionally, Iran remains the only country involved in direct combat that is causing actual damage within the Islamic State group. On May 24, General Soleimani accused Obama of doing nothing and having no intentions to fight the Islamic State group.

American experts agree. Michael Doran, who was a member of the National Security Council under the George W. Bush administration, says that the only way to defeat the jihadi is to send the U.S. infantry, as well as train and arm Syrian and Iraqi Sunni fighters. Such a solution is practically impossible, considering strong opposition from U.S. voters.

These circumstances give the Kremlin an opportunity to play a double game. Russia wants to save its loyal ally Assad, but also withdraw from eastern Ukraine on its own terms. Putin is ready to return the pseudo-republics of Donetsk and Luhansk to Kiev. Why would he not? After all, the cost of their rebuilding will fall on Ukraine, while the Russian special forces would retain control of local autonomous authorities, and the West would lift the sanctions currently imposed on Moscow. While Obama was sleeping, Putin bustled around and he is now in a much better bargaining position.