Russian Strategy and Power in the Middle East North Africa

The book analyses Russia’s political and economic interests in the Middle East and North Africa, its relations with the MENA countries and its diplomatic engagement with the Western powers. It examines Russia’s strategy in the region, including its role in the Syria conflict, in the context of its broader foreign policy and war with Ukraine. Russian strategy in the Middle East and North Africa presents a detailed critique of Russia’s strategy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in the turbulent period since the Arab uprisings in 2011. It examines the key political and security challenges faced by Russia in the MENA region in the context both of its own domestic politics and of a changing international system. Drawing on extensive primary source material as well as writing by Russian, Western and MENA experts, the book explore Russia’s relations with the MENA regional states and the involvement of the US, Europe and China in MENA affairs; Russia’s military intervention in the Syrian civil war; and how Vladimir Putin’s leadership and domestic power structures shape Russia’s decision-making. It further covers Russia’s contest with the liberal Western powers over international norms pertaining to sovereignty, the use of force, humanitarian assistance and the doctrine of Responsibility to Protect; Russia’s response to the challenges posed by Islamist extremism; and Russia’s political-military and economic interests in the MENA region. The volume responds to the surge of interest in Russia’s more assertive foreign policy following its military interventions in Syria and Ukraine, offering a valuable and original account of Russian thinking and decision-making in an important region that continues to involve the major external powers. This book analyses Russia’s strategy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in the turbulent period since the inception of the Arab Spring. It explores the key policy challenges faced by Russia in the context of Russia’s relations with both the regional states and the major external powers. The book incorporates chapters on Russia’s involvement in MENA affairs, its intervention in the Syrian civil war, the domestic sources of its foreign policy, its clash with the Western powers over issues pertaining to sovereignty and humanitarian norms, its response to the challenge posed by Islamist extremism, and its political-military and economic interests in the MENA region. The book offers an original, critical analysis of Russia’s thinking and decision-making and examines the implications of its more assertive foreign policy strategy following its military interventions in Syria and Ukraine.