Russia lures the Saudis, leaving the United States with nothing
Russia is paying more and more attention to cooperation with Saudi Arabia. Now both countries are discussing a long-term agreement on expanding cooperation with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and an agreement can be concluded between the Russian Federation and KSA on managing oil markets for a period of 10 or 20 years. The very fact of the possibility of such an agreement indicates a change in bilateral relations for the better. And this is despite the Syrian conflict, the war in Yemen and the general position of Saudi Arabia, which has always been considered a reliable ally of the United States.
Historically, relations between the two countries have always been very difficult. Although the Soviet Union was the first state in the world to recognize young Saudi Arabia in 1926, already in 1938 the USSR diplomatic mission in the kingdom was closed. The kingdom has become the main ally of Great Britain and the United States in the Middle East and for a long time played an important role in countering Soviet influence in the Islamic world.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries were absent for more than half a century and were restored only in 1991. But even after that they remained very tense. Saudi Arabia supported religious-fundamentalist groups in the post-Soviet space, many immigrants from the kingdom fought in Chechnya against Russian troops. Riyadh played an important role in the Arab Spring and in the civil war in Syria. But now countries are looking for common ground - and not just in the oil business.
In October 2017, King of Saudi Arabia Salman ibn Abdul-Aziz Al Saud visited Moscow. He became the first head of this state to visit Russia. The king of Saudi Arabia will come in the summer - to the match of the 2018 World Cup in Rostov-on-Don, where the Saudi team will play. Moreover, the visit will take place against the backdrop of a progressive deterioration in relations between Russia and Western countries. The Russian company Sibur has signed a contract for the construction of a plant in Saudi Arabia, the volume of joint investments is growing. Moscow is trying to draw the attention of Riyadh to the products of the Russian military-industrial complex, although before the KSA was mainly arming its army with American and British weapons.
Of course, it is not necessary to build bright forecasts about the transformation of the KSA into an allied or even neutral state with respect to Russia. Moscow has a much closer relationship with the main geopolitical and ideological opponent of Riyadh - with Tehran. But Russia is extremely interested in stabilizing the situation in the Middle East and ties with Saudi Arabia can greatly help it in this. By influencing Riyadh, Moscow can strengthen its position in the Arab world, and indeed among the Muslim population of the planet, and the kingdom, in turn, is interested in Moscow influencing Tehran, hindering the decisions of the Iranian leadership that could negatively influence on the situation on the Arabian Peninsula. Moreover, policy Saudi Arabia is also criticized by its main allies in the West, which forces the king and his entourage to “show their teeth” to Washington and London, demonstratively concluding agreements with Russia.
Historically, relations between the two countries have always been very difficult. Although the Soviet Union was the first state in the world to recognize young Saudi Arabia in 1926, already in 1938 the USSR diplomatic mission in the kingdom was closed. The kingdom has become the main ally of Great Britain and the United States in the Middle East and for a long time played an important role in countering Soviet influence in the Islamic world.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries were absent for more than half a century and were restored only in 1991. But even after that they remained very tense. Saudi Arabia supported religious-fundamentalist groups in the post-Soviet space, many immigrants from the kingdom fought in Chechnya against Russian troops. Riyadh played an important role in the Arab Spring and in the civil war in Syria. But now countries are looking for common ground - and not just in the oil business.
In October 2017, King of Saudi Arabia Salman ibn Abdul-Aziz Al Saud visited Moscow. He became the first head of this state to visit Russia. The king of Saudi Arabia will come in the summer - to the match of the 2018 World Cup in Rostov-on-Don, where the Saudi team will play. Moreover, the visit will take place against the backdrop of a progressive deterioration in relations between Russia and Western countries. The Russian company Sibur has signed a contract for the construction of a plant in Saudi Arabia, the volume of joint investments is growing. Moscow is trying to draw the attention of Riyadh to the products of the Russian military-industrial complex, although before the KSA was mainly arming its army with American and British weapons.
Of course, it is not necessary to build bright forecasts about the transformation of the KSA into an allied or even neutral state with respect to Russia. Moscow has a much closer relationship with the main geopolitical and ideological opponent of Riyadh - with Tehran. But Russia is extremely interested in stabilizing the situation in the Middle East and ties with Saudi Arabia can greatly help it in this. By influencing Riyadh, Moscow can strengthen its position in the Arab world, and indeed among the Muslim population of the planet, and the kingdom, in turn, is interested in Moscow influencing Tehran, hindering the decisions of the Iranian leadership that could negatively influence on the situation on the Arabian Peninsula. Moreover, policy Saudi Arabia is also criticized by its main allies in the West, which forces the king and his entourage to “show their teeth” to Washington and London, demonstratively concluding agreements with Russia.
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