The fall of the Assad regime might weaken Putin’s position during peace negotiations with Ukraine.

The Kremlin has actively supported Assad since 2015, when Russian troops intervened in the Syrian civil war, providing him with military and political assistance. Therefore, the rapid fall of the Assad regime could lead to a serious political crisis in Moscow, as the Kremlin is trying to maintain its military positions in Syria.

Assad’s fall is also a massive blow to Russia’s status on the international stage as a reliable security partner and weakens Moscow’s strategic position in the region. It also negatively affects Putin’s ambitions to create a multipolar world in which Russia and other authoritarian allies would play a key role.

Moreover, the CNN senior editor believes that the fall of the Assad regime increases concerns about the instability of the Putin regime itself, casting doubt on its ability to maintain power in Russia.

“The collapse of the Assad regime could potentially weaken Putin’s position in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, especially if Putin’s latest nuclear threats are perceived as empty talk,” the analyst notes.