Russia-Gulf Relations : A Case Study of North-South Relations Within West Asia

Russia's relations with the Gulf, which have long been an under-studied topic, have now become more pertinent in view of Russia's recent activism in the Middle East. Russia's contemporary interests in the Gulf are built on three pillars: regional stability, recognition of Russia as a great power, and energy market strategies. This article evaluates the tenor and challenges of Russia–Gulf interactions in these areas and argues that despite Russia's use of military force in Syria, improvement in Russia–Gulf relations will continue to be achieved by non-military means