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.

Featured December 9, 2025

Russia, Turkiye, Assist Hungary In Maintaining Energy Sovereignty

Both Russia and Turkiye have been working to ensure that landlocked Hungary retains its energy supply sovereignty and does not have to cede to European Commission demands. In the first instance, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to guarantee the continued flow of Russian gas through […]

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December 9, 2025

US Sanctions On Lukoil More To Do With Forced US Acquisition Of Russian Overseas Assets 

The recent sanctions imposed by the United States on Russia’s Lukoil appear to be more about the forced acquisition of Russian overseas energy assets by US companies, with Ukraine used just as an excuse. The Russia-Iraq joint venture at Iraq’s West Qurna-2 field, which was producing 460,000 barrels per day, appears to be illustrative. The […]

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December 9, 2025

Russia’s Damate Group Exports Turkey Meat To Malaysia For First Time As It Meets Strict Halal Requirements

Russia’s Damate Group, a leading producer of turkey meat in Russia, has received the right to export its products to Malaysia. The company has stated that “The first regular container shipments are already being assembled for dispatch. The company plans to ship the first batches of products by mid-December.” Damate notes that it is the […]

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December 8, 2025

The United States ‘National Security Strategy’ and Impact on Russia in the Global South

The United States 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS) has just been released, with responses ranging from political shock and disbelief to celebratory approval, depending on where you’re positioned on the branches of the global geopolitical tree. Its format is closer to a sales prospectus than most US official government-supported documents, resulting in the feel of […]

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December 7, 2025

Russia and Pakistan—Accelerating Regional Integration in Eurasia Through the INSTC and Enhanced Trade

Although the recent Modi-Putin India-Russia summit has grabbed all the headlines, it should not be forgotten that Russia also has significant diplomatic and trade relations with Pakistan. The coming years are poised to become a defining chapter in Pakistan–Russia relations, with a similar transition from episodic engagement to a structured, forward-looking partnership anchored in connectivity, […]

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December 3, 2025

Belarus Books Tickets On The INSTC To Asia

We discussed earlier this week about how the development of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) was now influencing the development entire cities and even countries, and to illustrate this, Belarus’s largest logistics operator Beltamozhservice has just announced the launch of a regular multimodal service for shipping containers with LCL freight from Belarus to Turkiye […]

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December 2, 2025

The Russia–Saudi Arabia Business Forum: Constructing a Eurasian / Middle East Axis

The Saudi–Russia Business Forum, which is currently taking place in Riyadh, is setting the stage to link Russia’s Eurasian ambitions with the entire MENA region, including connectivity with the Middle East and North Africa. As Russia and Saudi Arabia approach the historic milestone of the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2026, the two countries […]

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December 2, 2025

Russia, Bahrain To Cooperate In Digitization Of Services Sector Industries & Energy Sectors

Russia will cooperate and share its cybersecurity and services digitalization with Bahrain, as well as in the oil and gas industry, according to Russian Minister Olga Lyubimova, the co-chair of the Russian-Bahraini intergovernmental commission on trade, economic, scientific, and technical cooperation. She was speaking at the 4th meeting of the Russian-Bahraini intergovernmental commission on trade, […]

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December 1, 2025

New INSTC Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran Deal Is Hugely Significant: Analysis

Railway executives from Russia, Iran, and Azerbaijan have met in Baku to hold the 83rd meeting of the Transport Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States. So far, so routine.   But what was actually agreed – and signed off – at that meeting has significant implications. In agreeing a new strategy and signing an MoU […]

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