Abstract
This chapter argues that the current Russian leadership is guided by two major factors in the Middle East: (a) security concerns (terrorist threats and destabilization of fragile states), (b) economic opportunities (energy, arms sales, etc.) which accompany the improvement of political ties. Furthermore, Moscow’s more ambitious policy towards the Middle East can be explained not only by its overall strategy to increase its regional influence but also by the foreign policy opportunities created by the gradual retreat of the US from the region. Thus, it can be argued that Moscow’s Middle East policy is basically shaped by the US actions and decisions with regard to this region. As Russia lacks the resources to constantly support its presence in the Middle East and the Russian leaders are well aware of such limitations, the Kremlin pursues a policy which seeks to limit the risks and loss of investments in this region.
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Khlebnikov, A. (2020). Assessing Russia’s Middle East Policy After the Arab Uprisings: Prospects and Limitations. In: Parlar Dal, E., Erşen, E. (eds) Russia in the Changing International System. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21832-4_13
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