Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the SDF and Damascus:
"Every time Americans stopped supporting them, the Syrian Democratic Forces immediately turned to us: 'Help us.' We started helping. Then the Americans returned, and they lost interest in us. Damascus is not like
Assessment
Lavrov is publicly framing the SDF as a fickle partner that only turns to Russia when U.S. support wavers. This is a deliberate message to both Damascus and Washington: Russia positions itself as a reliable alternative to American backing in northeast Syria. The cutoff mid-sentence about Damascus suggests Lavrov was about to contrast the SDF's behavior with a more stable Syrian government partner. Watch for whether Moscow uses this narrative to justify deeper engagement with the SDF or to pressure them into negotiations with Assad.