Russia uses Middle Eastern ties to mitigate isolation

Significance

Syria has been Russia's central 'project' in the Middle East for more than a decade, but Moscow uses diplomatic and trade connections with many other regional states to sidestep its international isolation. They are mostly ambivalent about Russia's war in Ukraine but reluctant to make a definitive choice between Moscow and Western powers.

Impacts

• Western efforts to isolate Russia will be hampered by Russia's Middle Eastern connections.
• US relations with Middle Eastern allies will be complicated by the mismatch in their views of the Ukraine war.
• Russian tourism and wheat supplies are central to economic ties with Egypt.