Middle East News & Analysis

Middle East

Russia’s trade and investment into the Middle East is rapidly developing, with relations both through the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League all helping boost bilateral trade by 25% during 2025. Partially driven by the developments along the INSTC, and new regional free trade agreements, we provide analysis of the growing Russia-Middle East economic partnership. Discover trade statistics, investment flows from the GCC, and business opportunities for companies in both regions.

Jerusalem Moscow
Featured November 10, 2026

President Putin Meets Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem in Moscow

Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem has been visiting Moscow at the invitation of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, where Russian President Putin awarded him the Order of Friendship for his significant contribution to strengthening friendship, cooperation and spiritual ties with Russia. The President personally presented the award to the Patriarch at the Kremlin. We discuss the historical and religious ties between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

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SJ100
Featured November 9, 2026

Russia Eyes Aircraft Manufacturing With Brazil, China, UAE  

Russia’s Industry and Trade Minister, Anton Alikhanov has said that Russia has made major breakthroughs in aircraft manufacturing, developing systems and expertise that could be exported to foreign markets, including China and Brazil. However, these countries are unable to manufacture their own aircraft without considerable reliance on Western-sourced components, leaving them strategically vulnerable – while Russia can produce 100% Russian-built aircraft. China alone needs 8,000 new passenger jet aircraft in the coming years.

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Equipment
November 9, 2026

Russia Targets Oil & Gas Equipment Exports To The Middle East Following Iran War  

The US-Iran war has caused substantial damage to oil and gas facilities in Iran as well as Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. With the United States evacuating oil and gas workers, damage repair is minimal. Russia however has offered to send experienced oil and gas engineers to repair damaged facilities – with standardization differences between US and Russian gauge equipment being the only replacement issue.

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November 8, 2026

Russia, Iran Bilateral Relations: November 2026 Update

Russia’s President Putin has met with Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei in Moscow. Discussions included the construction of gas pipelines from Russia to Iran and Russian gas supplies to Iran, which is preparing for energy shortages during the coming winter as a result of US attacks on its infrastructure. Also on the agenda were updates on the Rasht-Astara railway, grain supplies, and post-war Iran security. We examine the outcomes.

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November 5, 2026

Eurasian Economic Union Researching Free Trade Agreement With Jordan

The Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) is to study a free trade agreement between the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Jordan. The EAEU includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. , Jordan has a GDP (PPP) of US$154 billion. We examine the current trade dynamics between Jordan and the EAEU countries.

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Eritrea Relations
November 2, 2026

Russia, Eritrea Bilateral Relations & Trade Development: October 2026 Update

The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has met with Isaias Afwerki, the President of Eritrea at the Kremlin, on the sidelines of the 2026 Russia–Africa Summit. Russia is poised to make investments in Eritrean ports as Moscow has entered into talks to set up a logistics centre in the country, although it must balance this against its relations with Ethiopia, a full BRICS member, with whom Eritrea is at war. 2025 Russia-Eritrea bilateral trade reached US$13.5 million in 2025, with most of this being Russian exports of grains and fertilizers. We examine the geopolitical and trade development issues.

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Qatar Coordinate
October 28, 2026

Russia, Qatar To Coordinate Gas Supplies to Ensure Global Gas Market Stability 

Russian President Putin has stated that Russia and Qatar can coordinate their respective LNG production and supplies to meet global demand. The two countries are the world’s second and third largest exporters. This should be good news for Europe – however Qatar cannot export due to problems in the Strait of Hormuz while the EU has stated it will cease buying Russian LNG from January. EU reserves are now at their lowest point while LNG prices have tripled this year. Europe now buys most of its LNG from the United States, providing an economic reason to prolong the war with Iran and keep Europe buying US supplies.

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Iran NPP
October 28, 2026

Rosatom, Tehran Agree On Building Eight Nuclear Power Plants In Iran

Rosatom’s CEO, Alexei Likhachev, has announced that the company is to build eight nuclear power plants in Iran. The country needs to rapidly change its energy mix, with just 6% of its electricity being generated from low-carbon sources in 2025, well below the global average of 41%. Electricity consumption is expected to increase from the current 340 TWh to over 400 TWh per capita by 2040.

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REW Forum
October 26, 2026

2026 Russia Energy Week Forum: A Wider Energy Trade Network Across Asia, Eurasia, Africa And The West: Analysis

The 2026 Russia Energy Week has just concluded in Moscow, with about 6,600 participants and executives from 85 countries attending. The event combines energy trade discussions with industrial modernisation, nuclear technology exports, engineering cooperation and investment opportunities across Asian and other international markets. We examine what happened and the deals made.

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LNG
October 25, 2026

Russia’s Novatek In Discussions To Supply LNG To Turkiye

Russia’s Novatek is in discussions with Turkiye concerning supplies of LNG. Turkiye, like the EU, currently buys gas via spot prices from Russia, whereas it would be more advantageous (and less expensive) for both to agree long-term supply contracts. The EU has also been using more expensive spot prices to acquire Russian LNG, with prices close to tripling this year. Longer term supply contracts would have avoided this additional expense.

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