Interests of the Leading Actors, Russia’s Presence in Southeast Europe and Russia’s New Strategy
In 2016, the new Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation ... ... other important actors in the region, including new ones, has grown significantly. These actors are primarily China, but also Turkey and several Middle Eastern states.
The presence of many actors with diverging interests in the fragmented post-conflict ...
... build an effective security architecture based on the principle of inclusiveness. Russia and Turkey seek to maintain working relations with all the regional powers. Regional affairs in 2017 were affected by the decision of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to isolate Qatar with a blockade. While Russia chose not to interfere in this regional conflict, Turkey largely sided with Qatar. Ankara’s close relations with Doha urged it to deploy troops in Qatar, which also hosts the Al Udeid Air Base- the largest U.S. military installation in the region [
46
]. The GCC-Qatar dispute remains unresolved,...
... emirate.
Scenario three: with confrontation intensifying, Qatar would resort to aggressive measures, disaffiliating from the GCC and would face further rapprochement with Turkey and Iran. In this case, Qatar’s policies on Syria might undergo certain changes, whereupon Doha is likely to join the ... ... grave consequences for all parties. Even if this unlikely scenario does arise, however, the confrontation cannot last very long.
Russia, with various instruments for influencing its Middle Eastern partners at its disposal, is well positioned to have a peacemaking ...