Русский
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has met with the King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and held separate talks with Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani on October 16.
The meetings focused on implementing agreements reached at the highest level to further develop the full range of traditionally friendly relations between Russia and Bahrain. Both sides expressed mutual interest in expanding cooperation in the economic sphere, including investment, as well as in culture, education and other areas. Particular emphasis was placed on the important role of the Russian–Bahraini Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.
Considerable attention was also devoted to key issues on the Middle East agenda, primarily the crisis in the Gulf region. Both sides stressed the importance of preventing a resumption of hostilities in this strategically vital part of the world and ensuring the freedom and safety of international maritime navigation. The prospects for resolving the Palestinian–Israeli conflict were also discussed.
Moscow and Manama reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining regular political dialogue and close coordination, both bilaterally and through established cooperation mechanisms, including those between Russia and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf and between Russia and the League of Arab States.
Bahrain is a dialogue partner state to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and is also in the process of negotiating a double tax treaty with Russia, in addition to a strategic customs agreement, developments that could later lead to a Bahrain-Eurasian Economic Union free trade agreement.
The two countries often coordinate on issues relating to OPEC and global oil supplies while also looking at positioning Bahrain as a Middle East grain distribution hub as an extension to the INSTC reach into the Gulf.
Russia-Bahrain Trade
Russia historically maintains a trade surplus with Bahrain, with Russian exports including metals, industrial goods, and pulp/paper products, and Bahrain exporting aluminum and petroleum-related products. Both nations are working to expand correspondent banking networks and alternative financial settlement channels to bypass traditional restrictions. Discussions also focused on entering the Bahraini market with localized Russian pharmaceutical production. Current bilateral trade is small at about US$115 million, having grown by about 15% during 2025, illustrating that Russia-Bahrain trade remains a growth-development market. Key areas of cooperation include agriculture, the food industry, tourism, and transport.
