The Leading role of Russia in The Middle East

13.12.2017

Recent developments in the Middle East have strengthened Russia’s role in this controversial region.

Strong trinity

We all remember how long the United States and its allies were spending taxpayer money on an unsuccessful struggle against the Islamic State. With such a background, Russia’s success is particularly noticeable.

Moscow’s pragmatic approach to solving diplomatic and geopolitical problems allowed to form an alliance between Russia, Turkey, and Iran. This is a union of countries that can hardly be called related and friendly. Ethically, religiously, historically, Russia, Turkey, and Iran have never been close to each other. However, the community of interests in the region ensured the relative stability of this block for the near future. Its main feature is the lack of an ideological component. Moscow, Tehran, and Ankara have united because it meets the national interests of each of the countries.

Jerusalem question

Recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by Donald Trump will be a serious test for Russia, Turkey, and Iran as for the allies. This decision has already provoked unrest and a military conflict in Israel. Therefore, we can expect a new round of instability in the region. The visit of Vladimir Putin to Turkey on the eve of the summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul indicates that the leaders are ready for cooperation on this issue. It is possible that in the near future the Russian president will discuss this issue with the Iranian leader.

Best ally

Simultaneously with the visit to Ankara, Vladimir Putin also made a visit to Cairo. In the current geopolitical situation, regional countries are forced to seek support from major powers. Egypt, in this case, decided to seek help from Russia. Against the background of the fact that the Palestinian Hamas movement declared another intifada, Egypt is forced to secure its territory. During the Six Day War of 1967, Israel completely captured the Sinai Peninsula. At the moment there are a lot of gangster formations on this territory. Most of them are connected with the Islamic State and other extremists. In the conditions of such a nervous situation, any provocation can lead to a repeat of the 1967 scenario. In this regard, Cairo hopes to protect itself from excessive claims of Tel Aviv on its territory with the help of Russia.

It is important to understand that the Middle East is a complex region predominantly composed of the Muslim population. In a situation where the US is rapidly losing the ability to be the coordinator and mediator in the Middle East, Russia, in fact, becomes the most beneficial ally, as it takes neutrality both in the Arab-Israeli conflict and in the conflicts between the Sunnis and Shiites.

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