Russia and the Middle East: Diplomacy and Security
Samuel Ramani is an DPhil candidate in International Relations at St. Antony's College, University of Oxford. At Oxford, he specializes in post-1991 Russian foreign policy, with an emphasis on Russia's responses to popular revolutions and military interventions, and Russia-Middle East relations. He is also a journalist who writes regularly about the post-Soviet region and international affairs for major publications like the Washington Post, Huffington Post and Diplomat Magazine, amongst others. This blog focuses on Russia's diplomatic overtures towards Middle East. It will particularly emphasize Moscow's relationship with the Arab world, but also discuss changing developments in Russia's relationships with Israel, Iran and "Greater Middle East states" on the Horn of Africa. The blog will cover two broad themes in these relationships. The first is how changing levels of Russia's economic and defence cooperation between Russia and Middle Eastern countries, impacts Moscow's regional and global influence. The second is the impact of Russia's relations with MENA region on Russian and international security. This will focus on Russian counter-terrorism operations and the ongoing anti-ISIS campaign.
New entries
Since the United Nations (UN) backed Kuwait peace talks on Yemen were first announced in April 2016, the international community has viewed a settlement between Saudi-backed President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and Houthi rebel forces as the ultimate path to…
Ahmed al-Wahishi is Yemen's Ambassador to the Russian Federation. He was appointed on the recommendation of Yemen's President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi on July 13, 2017, and was Yemen's first sitting Ambassador to Russia in 6 years. Before serving in this…
On July 23, 2017, Russia’s Energy Minister Alexander Novak told the Financial Times that Libya should join the oil supply production cut agreement brokered by Moscow and OPEC last December. Russia’s decision to target Libya, alongside Nigeria and US…
Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, many analysts of Russia-Middle East relations have emphasized the contrast between Moscow’s generally cooperative relationship with Iran and tense relationship with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)…
On June 30, 2016, the United States announced that it would be open to limited military cooperation with Russia in Syria against the al Qaeda linked Jabhat al-Nusra. Washington’s cooperation proposal was conditional on Russia pressuring Syrian…
On April 19, 2016, Somalia’s Prime Minister Abdirshad Ali Sharmake held a bilateral meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. At that summit, Sharmake requested Russian support for his efforts to strengthen the Somali…
On April 27, 2016, General Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the Russian General Staff, declared that Libya barely existed as a state and was a breeding ground for jihadist networks, like the Islamic State. To justify his grim assessment, Gerasimov accused…
Poll conducted
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In your opinion, what are the US long-term goals for Russia?
U.S. wants to establish partnership relations with Russia on condition that it meets the U.S. requirements 33 (31%) U.S. wants to deter Russia’s military and political activity 30 (28%) U.S. wants to dissolve Russia 24 (22%) U.S. wants to establish alliance relations with Russia under the US conditions to rival China 21 (19%)
