Malcolm Turnbull says the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, may live to regret his intervention in the Syrian conflict.
On Friday, the Australian prime minister said Russia had intervened in recent times to shore up the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, from incursions by insurgents and, more particularly, from opposition forces – but the intervention could ultimately prove more complex and consequential than Putin anticipated.
“What the Russians have done is, I assume they wanted to keep their friend, Mr Assad, they wanted to keep him in the game, prevent him from being knocked out of the ring, and so they provided support to do that, and they are now getting caught up in the situation, and they could get caught up very deeply,” Turnbull said in an interview with Guardian Australia.
“They may live to regret this intervention,” he said.
Earlier this week, the foreign minister Julie Bishop was asked whether Australia might have to pick up the slack once the Canadians withdrew from US-led airstrikes in Syria.
The new Trudeau government has confirmed that Canada will pull out of the mission in the Middle East, withdrawing fighter jets and 70 special forces troops.
As yet, a specific timetable for the Canadian exit has not been announced.
Australia’s foreign minister said Canberra had not received any request from the US, but she left open the idea that Australia could step into the breach.
“We understand that the new Canadian government intends to maintain a level of support similar to ours, other than in relation to airstrikes, and that’s of course a decision for the new government,” Bishop told reporters.
“We’ve not been asked to do any more in that regard. If we were, we would consider it and put it in the context of our capacity, capability and national interest.”
On Friday, Turnbull said the government’s position regarding Australia’s military contribution was unchanged.
“Our position vis-a-vis Syria is unchanged and in the event of us making a change, it will be announced following a careful consideration of the issues in the national security committee of cabinet,” Turnbull said.
The prime minister told Guardian Australia there had never been a military solution for the region, only a political one.
“There are military measures. There can only be a political solution there, and the question is how is it going to come about?”
Turnbull noted the recent Russian intervention did “change the landscape, that’s for sure.”
Asked how the intervention changed things for Australia and, specifically, for Australia’s contribution, Turnbull stressed Australia was not about being drawn in to a civil war, or a proxy battle between the world’s major powers.
“Our activities are solely directed against Isil, or Daesh [Islamic State], we are staying well away from the Syrian government forces and certainly staying well away from other Syrian forces, the Free Syrian Army and so forth – the rebel forces that are opposed to Assad,” Turnbull said.
“But there will need to be a political settlement there, just as there will need to be in Iraq too. Having said there needs to be, achieving it is another challenge.”
