Tag Syria

October 15, 2025
Russia's Foreign Policy

The Story of the Canceled Summit, or the End of Russian Influence in the Middle East

Moscow invited the leaders of all 22 Arab League states to its first Russian-Arab summit, set for October 15, 2025. Five days before, the Kremlin announced a postponement. According to Bloomberg, only Syria's president and the Arab League's secretary-general had agreed to come. Why did Russia lose the Arab world?

May 24, 2025
Russia's Foreign Policy

How to Lose Friends and Stop Wielding Influence in the Middle East: A Masterclass by a Veteran Geopolitician

In December 2024, the Assad regime, which Russia had propped up since 2015, collapsed while Russian forces did nothing. Six months later, Washington and Brussels lifted sanctions, and Syria's new rulers are talking of peace with Israel. How did Moscow manage to lose its closest Arab ally?