The Syrian conflict remains insoluble for the time being. Yet Europe could start managing it better. By reorganising humanitarian aid supplies, becoming more involved in the northeast and coordinating initiatives in the northwest, it could alleviate hardship, counter extremism and bring hope, writes Kristin HelbergMore

Anyone wishing to know how far Putin will go in Ukraine should look to Syria. There, the Kremlin has been successfully asserting its own interests for years – with military ruthlessness, diplomatic pressure, brazen propaganda and tactical agility. Commentary by Kristin HelbergMore

Two decades after the attacks of 11 September 2001, the West faces the shattered debris of its failure – not only in Afghanistan, but also in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Yemen. What went wrong in the war on terror? And what lessons can Europe learn from it? Essay by Kristin HelbergMore

Finding a lasting political solution to the Syrian conflict is the challenge facing the constitutional committee that has been meeting in Geneva since the end of October, under UN mediation. But achieving this goal is an illusion, since the Syrian regime has for years shown no willingness to surrender any of its power. By Kristin HelbergMore

Amid the increasing complexity of the Syrian conflict, a growing number of "critical citizens" are assigning greater credibility to conspiracy theories on the Internet than to UN investigations that are required to meet scientific standards. Essay by Kristin HelbergMore

Assad is still in power. But he has nevertheless lost it – to Iran, Russia, Syrian militia leaders and war profiteers. What Germany should now do for the Syrians. By Kristin HelbergMore

German public prosecutors in Karlsruhe are acting surprisingly fast to interview Syrian victims who have filed criminal charges against members of the Syrian intelligence agency in Damascus. Specific investigations and international arrest warrants could follow. By Kristin HelbergMore