Russia Raises The Stakes In Syria

04:19

September 11, 2015

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, listens to his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad during a meeting in Moscow's Kremlin, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2006. Putin hosted his Syrian counterpart for talks focusing on tensions among the Palestinians, Lebanon's political standoff and the stalled Middle East peacemaking - part of Moscow's efforts to bolster its role in the region amid escalating crises. (Sergei Karpukhin/AP)

There's a new player involved in the civil war in Syria. Russia, long an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, now has troops on the ground to support him in the war that has cost more than 250,000 lives.

The Russian troops join the complicated mix of fighters in Syria that also includes the rebels battling the regime and ISIS. A U.S.-led coalition is also involved in Syria, targeting ISIS with airstrikes.

Matthew Rojansky, director of the Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center For International Scholars, discusses this development with Here & Now's Robin Young.

Guest

Matthew Rojansky, director of the Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center For International Scholars. He tweets @matthewrojansky.

This segment aired on September 11, 2015.