Friday 12 Dec 2025 @ 12:20
Chatham House
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Russia is weakened, but its influence in the Middle East should not be underestimated

EXPERT COMMENT

A widespread, but misleading, assumption holds that Moscow’s current weakness signals its inevitable retreat from the region. In reality, Russia has deepened its entrenchment.

Russia’s military and economic resources are stretched thin by the war in Ukraine. Its former stronghold in Syria has fallen. Yet, even under these circumstances, the Kremlin has adapted to new realities rather than decided to withdraw from the Middle East. 

Russia continues to exploit opportunities provided by the region to ease the pressure of sanctions, compensate economic and political losses from its global confrontation with the West, and occasionally create challenges for the US and European players. 

Consequently, analysts who dismiss Russia as ‘finished’ in the region risk overlooking a weakened but still capable actor that remains committed to complicating Western objectives.

Click here to continue reading the full version of this Expert Comment on the Chatham House website.

 

Channel website: https://www.chathamhouse.org/

Original article link: https://www.chathamhouse.org/2025/12/russia-weakened-its-influence-middle-east-should-not-be-underestimated

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