Turkish officials are considering deploying NATO Patriot batteries along Turkey’s southern border with Syria, a critical step in establishing a no-fly zone over northern Syria that would provide protection to opposition forces seeking the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party has seen its “Zero Problems” foreign policy crumble in recent months as relations collapsed between Ankara and rogue regimes such as Syria and Iran with which it had sought stronger ties. NATO countries have thus far resisted providing material support for Turkey in the context of the Syrian war, and the introduction of NATO assets would likely trigger strong objections from Russia. Moscow provides arms to the Assad regime, considers Syria to be within its sphere of influence, maintains a naval resupply base in the Syrian port of Tartus, and even decades after the Cold War continues to view NATO with at best suspicion.

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