On Dec. 20, speaking at his annual press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin surprisingly praised US-Russian collaboration on Syria.

“Despite all the disagreements, our specialists, our military personnel, security services and foreign ministries have established a rather constructive dialogue to address acute issues in combating terrorism in Syria. Overall, we are satisfied with our cooperation,” he said.

This may seem odd because the two countries' stances throughout the Syrian conflict have been as different as chalk and cheese on a wide range of issues. They backed opposing warring parties and had at best different views on the desirable outcome of the confrontation. Hence, when President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of American troops from Syria, most US commentators viewed it exclusively through the lens of a zero-sum game, claiming the United States had capitulated to Russia. Thus, the countries' shared objective of eliminating the Islamic State and their joint success in accomplishing this goal are practically disregarded despite the threat the caliphate posed to both. In turn, geopolitical rivalry in the region is considered the real “big game.”

And what about Russia? Is the Kremlin exulting over Trump's snap announcement? What aims does Russia set for itself now and what are some key results in 2018?