The withdrawal of US troops from northeast Syria in early October in advance of Turkish military action against Kurdish militants has unexpectedly propelled Moscow to become the key power broker in the region.

It provides Russia with an opportunity to consolidate its foothold in the Levant, from where it can increase its influence across the Middle East. It also allows Moscow to increase pressure on Ankara as part of its long-term objective of destabilising its Nato adversaries.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

In the Gulf meanwhile, state visits to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi in October by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin resulted in major agreements in the energy and technology sectors, strengthening economic and political relations with regional oil producers. And on 24 October, Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi met with Putin in Socchi, Russia, where they co-hosted the Russia Africa Summit.

The interests of Cairo, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Moscow are further aligned in Libya, where they support the opposition to the Turkey-backed government in Tripoli.

OPEC and non-OPEC agreement

Russia’s economic links with the Gulf states have been deepened substantially over the past three years by the agreement between Opec and non-Opec oil producers, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, to control oil supplies to stabilise prices.

The question now for Moscow is how to continue to boost its position in the region at the expense of the US and its allies.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

This is no easy task. While Washington has betrayed its allies in Syria, Moscow supports governments in Tehran and Damascus, both of which are despised by Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.

With the ongoing political quagmire in Syria, Russia is more likely to focus on energy and defence deals in the Gulf than on trying to juggle competing political adversaries.

MEED
This article is sourced from Power Technology sister publication www.meed.com, a leading source of high-value business intelligence and economic analysis about the Middle East and North Africa. To access more MEED content register for the 30-day Free Guest User Programme.