Jan 20, 2026
MEI Senior Fellow Charles Lister joins hosts Alistair Taylor and
Matthew Czekaj to unpack the latest developments in Syria, as a
tenuous cease-fire takes hold after several days of intense
fighting between the Syrian army and the Kurdish-led Syrian
Democratic Forces (SDF). Their discussion explores the drivers of
the conflict, the prospects for a lasting deal that would integrate
the SDF into the Syrian military, as well as the role and
perspective of key external actors, including the US, Turkey, and
Israel.
For more background on the
Damascus-SDF conflict, please see Charles’s recent article on the
fighting in Aleppo in mid-January
here.
Recorded on January 20,
2026.