The ceasefire mediated by Russia and Turkey was announced to go into effect as planned at midnight yesterday. This one is also said to be doomed to fail, like all other ceasefires.

After the decision for a ceasefire was declared, the new United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres who will take office on January 1 said the ceasefire was “positive”.

The controversial umbrella organization, Syrian National Coalition (SNC) that includes the Syrian regime and “opposition” groups, has confirmed the ceasefire and 7 different groups including the gang Ahrar Al Sham.

The United States was excluded from ceasefire talks and their comments also reflected a cautious approach. Department of State Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said the information they received on the ceasefire were “important developments”. The deputy spokesperson underlined that the US maintained their position that “there can not be a military solution” in the war in Syria.

Toner also emphasized that the US supports negotiations to be held in Geneva for a solution in Syria.

The Syrian regime and Turkey- and Saudi-backed groups had declared several ceasefires over the years, but none of them had lasted. It is significant that this most recent ceasefire has come after the operations that resulted in the regime forces taking total control in Aleppo and Palmyra falling under ISIS occupation once more.

It is also unclear how permanent a result can come out of such a move in a period when Russia’s relationships with the Western countries is increasingly strained. Syria doesn’t wholly consist of groups backed by Russia, Turkey or the Saudis, the US and other western countries also have a stake.