Group Assignment: Article Review

Teacher: Mam Saira Nawaz Abbasi

Subject: Diplomacy

Russian influence in the Middle East: Economics, Energy, and soft power

(Urwa)

This article "Russian influence in the Middle East: Economics, Energy, and soft power" is
written by Rossella Cerulli. The article was written in the year 2019 and gives us a sound
understanding of the Russian interests and strategy in the Middle East.

Analysis

According to the literature extensively examined by the authors on the topic of Russia in the
Middle East, a recent analysis has been presented by the author in which he puts forth the point
of view that Russian strategy in the Middle East is mostly and understandably focused on Syria.
This means that the Russian Federation has been giving less attention and focus to its relations
with other Middle Eastern states in the region. In the year 2016, it was also seen that Russia was
still occupied in the Syrian events and therefore, policy makers and analysts found it quite
difficult to formulate a regional strategy as far as Russia’s interest in Middle East are concerned.

The question of whether Russia had a regional foreign policy was actually left unaddressed by
most of the analysts. In this article, the authors endeavor to elucidate a perspective that is used to
identify the significant elements of the Russian interests in the Middle East that are actually
beyond the Syrian conflict. This is done in order to define the actual nature of the engagement of
Russia with the Middle Eastern region and the different outlines of the Russian strategy in the
Middle East. It is obvious that the Russian objectives has objectives and goals but to the western
policy makers these goals appear to be generalizable, mainstream, or transactional and they are
not enough to constitute a broad regional or global strategy. This perspective is to some extent
accurate but the authors of this article suggest that Russia does have a functional but generalized
strategy which is constitutive of broad regional approach. According to the author, the Russian
Federation’s regional strategy lies in its constant search for improving its short-term military,
economic, and political advantages while on the other hand reducing the advantages of the
enemies or adversaries.

Key Findings ( Babrak Khan )

The key findings of this article include: Firstly, the Russian Federation may not have a clear
ends-driven regional strategy which is obvious by its focus in only the Syrian crisis; secondly,
the Russian federation is constantly seeking to improve and develop its short-term military,
economic, and other political advantages and on the other hand, sinking the short-term benefits
of prospective opponents. Thirdly, the Russia Federation promotes and advocates its ability that
it can use to interact with as many state and non-state actors in the Middle East as it desires while
on the other hand, the most of relationships of the Russian Federation with the Middle Eastern
states are best branded as transactional and are bounded by "overwhelming obstacles." And
lastly, the Middle East states are using Russian Federation as an alternative that can used in order
to signal to the West that the policies of the West are not in favor of the Middle East.
Furthermore, in this article, the authors have also asserted that the Russian Federation is also
making a concerted effort to regain its character as the arms supplier of choice for Arab
administrations.

SUMMARY ( Fatima Bukhtiar )

Overall, we can say that the article is reflective of the current contemporary trends in the Middle
East and the role of Russia in the trends. According to the author, Russia is seeking a strong hold
in the Middle East to the point that it is able to effectively influence the activities in the region
and it is also able to shape the outcomes in this specific region. But in reality, the Russian
Federation is struck with a lack of means that actually limits and hinders the prospects of what
the Russian Federation can actually achieve. So, as the Middle East countries have the greatest
power and ability to determine the feasibility or viability of any Russian strategy that comes
there way, The Middle Eastern states are likely to indulge in long-term economic, military, and
energy deals with the Russians as a part of their multifaceted Russia's multifaceted diplomatic
relations and contemporary interventionist trend.