Caption
Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on April 10, 2025. (Getty Images)
In coordination with Iran, Russia has been steadily building up its position inside of Syria. President Vladimir Putin has sent combat planes, ships, technicians, engineers, marines, and special forces units. Although American policymakers have suggested that the Russians are there to fight the Islamic State, Moscow has made its intentions clear—they are there to defend Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. And by building an air force base and expanding its current naval facility at Tartus, Putin’s larger purpose appears to challenge the United States as the Middle East's power broker.
How will Russia’s incursion into Syria shape the ongoing conflict? How will it affect the three American allies on Syria’s borders, Israel, Jordan, and Turkey? Does Putin’s increasingly assertive behavior signal the erosion of American influence in the Middle East? If so, how would the next White House change course?
On September 29th, Hudson Institute hosted a timely discussion of these issues with an expert panel moderated by Lee Smith and featuring Michael Doran, Hannah Thoburn, and Tony Badran.
Related Events
14
September 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Somaliland as a Strategic Partner in the Horn of Africa
Featured Speakers:
Joshua Meservey
President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi ("Irro")
14
September 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Somaliland as a Strategic Partner in the Horn of Africa
In his first visit to the United States since winning the presidency in November 2024, Somaliland President Abdirahman “Irro” Mohamed Abdullahi will deliver a keynote speech at Hudson Institute followed by a fireside chat with Senior Fellow Joshua Meservey.
Featured Speakers:
Joshua Meservey
President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi ("Irro")
15
September 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Contested Lebanon: Israel, Iran, and US Strategy in a Fractured State
Featured Speakers:
Ludovic Hood
Hagar Chemali
Joel Rayburn
Hussain Abdul Hussain
15
September 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Contested Lebanon: Israel, Iran, and US Strategy in a Fractured State
Experts from leading Washington think tanks will come together to discuss the prospects for stability in Lebanon and for future Israeli-Lebanese relations.
Featured Speakers:
Ludovic Hood
Hagar Chemali
Joel Rayburn
Hussain Abdul Hussain
15
September 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Senator Pete Ricketts on the Next Phase of Competition with China
Featured Speakers:
Joel Scanlon
Pete Ricketts
15
September 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Senator Pete Ricketts on the Next Phase of Competition with China
Join Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy, for a discussion on the state of the United States–China relationship and Congress’s role in the competition.
Featured Speakers:
Joel Scanlon
Pete Ricketts
16
September 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The Transatlantic Watchtower: Iceland’s Role in Great Power Competition
Featured Speakers:
Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir
Daniel Kochis
16
September 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The Transatlantic Watchtower: Iceland’s Role in Great Power Competition
Join us for an in-depth conversation with Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, member of the Icelandic Parliament and leader of the Independence Party, on great power dynamics, Iceland’s role in transatlantic security, and bilateral cooperation.
Featured Speakers:
Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir
Daniel Kochis
Related Research
Caption
US President Donald Trump takes part in a welcome ceremony with China's President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14, 2026. (Getty Images)
Caption
Russian President Vladimir Putin inspects the workshop of the GAZ automobile plant in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia on August 28, 2026. (Getty Images)
Caption
US Army soldiers are welcomed home at the National Guard Armory in Cape May Courthouse, New Jersey, on April 23, 2004. (US Air National Guard)
