A deal signed earlier this week by Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and the commander in chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazlum Kobane, is viewed by many as a turning point for Syria’s Kurds. It also comes amid escalating violence across Syria which has cast serious doubts over al-Sharaa’s ability to earn the trust of his people and govern. Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins Thanos Davelis to explore whether this deal is really a game changer for Syria and Syria’s Kurds, and break down the roles of outside forces - particularly the US and Turkey - in this story.

You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:

Syrian Kurds celebrate deal with Damascus as coastal residents remain wary after violence

Syria’s Kurds win big as Sharaa shakes hands with Kobane to save his own skin

Konstantinos Tasoulas to be sworn in as president Thursday

PM eyes major cabinet shake-up

The EU wants to increase deportations and supports ‘return hubs’ in third countries

Europe cracks down on migration. The far right is cheering.