Русский
Russia is in talks with Bahrain and Kuwait on introducing visa-free entry, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko has stated.
He said that “currently, work continues with Bahrain and Kuwait on implementing a visa-free regime. This is already in effect with Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates for holders of ordinary passports. We hope Bahrain and Kuwait will follow the lead of their regional partners.”
Bahrain
In 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.
More than 35,000 Russian tourists visit the Kingdom of Bahrain each year, supported by growing direct flight connections.
Kuwait
Current Russia-Kuwait bilateral trade is valued at about US$1.7 billion, having grown in both 2025 and 2026. Kuwait exports electrical products to Russia, while Russia exports iron, copper, and chocolate. Trade ties are likely to remain conservative; however, Kuwait does need to diversify its economy and wants to be associated with the BRICS group in one form or another.
Both nations have focused on scaling up cooperation in energy projects, petrochemicals, agricultural and food exports, and joint investment mechanisms, such as potential participation via the Kuwait Investment Authority and the Roscongress Foundation.
Specific total tourist volume figures for Russian visitors traveling directly to Kuwait are not officially published as an isolated statistic, though overall tourism exchanges between Russia and Kuwait have grown significantly.
