Now
First Russian involvement changed the fortunes of the Syrian civil war to a large extent. Then first some, and later much, of the world began a sort of decoupling with the Gulf regimes, especially Saudi Arabia, and moved closer to Iran. Then the Syrian Arab Army started regaining lost cities and highways, especially the route from the Turkish border to the disputed city of Aleppo; which no longer supplies rebels with American anti-tank weapons, etc. And now, with the Americans, GCC, Nato, etc, on the back foot, the Chinese have also engaged with the war, training the Syrian forces as they close the noose around the rebels, particularly ISIS.
Meanwhile, Syrians continue to die. A notable example was recently made by Turkish President Reccip Erdogan. Once he realised he picked the wrong side, he apologised to Russia and has even initiated restoration of ties with Damascus. If only this good sense had come to Ankara before some tens of thousands of people died securing the Turkish border, perhaps the war might already have taken a different turn. Or, more realistically, if similar sense can be brought to influence some of Erdogan’s other eager players in this war, the suffering of the Syrian people will end sooner rather than later.
The countries that interfered in Syria have realised by now that the government is not going to fall with these tactics. Indeed, if the Russians, Iranians, etc, had not provided timely relief, it is very possible that the combined weight of the US, EU, Nato, GCC, Turkey, Jordan, etc, would really have unseated the Ba’athist regime in Damascus. Now all stakeholders must organise to identify and apprehend whosoever is still arming and funding these terrorists that are trying to unseat a sovereign government. The war will end as soon as this funding is choked.