In-house Seminar on 23 December 2025- Mahbubur Rashid Bhuiyan

In-House Proposal Presentation on

Russia’s Growing Interest in the Middle East Under Putin: Restoration of Great-Power Status or Inviting More Trouble?

Presenter: Mahbubur Rashid Bhuiyan, Research Fellow

Russia’s expanding engagement in the Middle East under President Vladimir Putin marks a significant shift in its foreign policy priorities. Through active diplomacy, security cooperation, energy partnerships, and strategic alignments, Moscow is seeking to reassert its influence in a region long shaped by great-power competition.

This in-house proposal presentation examines whether Russia’s growing footprint in the Middle East represents a calculated strategy to restore its great-power status in a multipolar world, or risks entangling the country in complex regional rivalries and strategic overreach.

The presentation will explore the motivations behind Russia’s renewed focus on the Middle East, assess key policy instruments and partnerships, and analyse regional responses to Moscow’s initiatives. It will also critically evaluate the constraints Russia faces, including economic pressures, competing external actors, and the volatility of Middle Eastern geopolitics.

By situating Russia’s Middle East policy within its broader global ambitions, the presentation aims to provide a balanced assessment of the opportunities and challenges shaping Moscow’s regional strategy and its implications for regional stability and global power dynamics.