There is no hope for resolving the refugee crisis without ending the antagonism toward Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria. The world must engage in constructive dialogue with the rightful and legitimate rulers of Syria if they want to see any improvement in the humanitarian situation. Regional partners such as Turkey have already made overtures for normalization, and the rest of the world must follow suit.
The path to a safe Syria does not run through the brutal Assad regime. Feeling the pressures of hosting refugees, Middle Eastern countries have turned to forceful deportations back to Syria and have made a half-hearted attempt to rehabilitate Assad. Meanwhile, Syria has turned into a criminal state involved in drug trafficking and has let itself be used as a tool of Iran. The fight against Assad must continue.