Podcast host Alex Gabuev is joined by Nicole Grajewski, a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Hanna Notte, director of the Eurasia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center, to unpack the sudden fall of Assad’s regime and what it means for Russia to lose its stronghold in the Middle East.
The Kremlin sees its anti-Western alliance with Tehran as testing a new model of international relations—and does not want it stymied.
While the prospect of a full-scale war between Iran and Israel is a worry for the Kremlin, it could also have a significant financial upside for Russia.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult for the Kremlin to maintain equidistance in the Yemen conflict: Moscow’s growing interaction with the Houthis, including at the military level, is making itself felt. We have seen this before in Syria, Libya, and Sudan.
A steady flow of Russian weapons to Tehran could change the balance of power in the region, potentially triggering a response from the United States and Israel.
We appear to be witnessing the emergence of a united front against Washington that extends from the Baltic Sea to the Persian Gulf.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Turkey has sought to maintain relations with both Russia and the West: an approach it will strive to continue.
