Russia's Victory in Ukraine is Needed for Stability and Survival of Middle East, Says Journalist
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There are a number of Arab and Muslim nations that have been relying on the military and diplomatic assistance provided by Moscow. One of them is Syria, that has seen Russian troops on the ground since 2015.
Another is Egypt, that has been enjoying a steady supply of weapons from Moscow. A third is Iran; Russia also assists its ally, the Lebanon-based Shiite militia Hezbollah.
More than a hundred days have passed since the beginning of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine that aimed at demilitarising and de-Nazifying the country.
People's Concerns
According to estimates, during the three months of fighting, Russia has managed to establish control over 20 percent of Ukraine's territory. In the West, this has been presented as a failure and Ahmed Ayyach, a writer at the Lebanese A-Nahar newspaper, says the media war that's waged against Moscow has affected the minds of some people across the Middle East.
"People on the streets were led to believe that Russia failed to settle the conflict in Ukraine quickly. As a result, some say that Moscow has lost its status as a superpower and only strong and decisive actions of the Kremlin would be able to restore their faith in it."
A Russian serviceman at an airfield in the area of the special military operation in Ukraine.
© Sputnik
/ Ties Are Getting Stronger
But the leaders of many Middle Eastern nations don't seem to share these concerns, says the journalist. Indeed, since the eruption of the conflict in February, the delegations of many Arab states have visited Moscow.
In his turn, foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has toured the Gulf and the region. In addition, he has held numerous calls with the powers-that-be, cementing Russia's position in the Middle East.
These meetings are dictated by the pressing reality. Gas and oil prices continue to climb following a barrage of Western sanctions on Moscow. Those have already led to energy shortages across the world and pressure has been mounting on the Gulf states to pump more crude.
Moscow and the Gulf have been coordinating their activity to tackle the crisis. Cooperation was also seen on the front of Russian wheat exports, that have been hampered as a result of the sanctions.
"Russia is a great country, and we in the Middle East hope she will win that war because if it doesn't, the repercussions for the region will be irreversible. And the reality would be that some states -- that are currently in the orbit of Russia -- will not be able to cope with the West," warned the journalist.
Several Middle Eastern countries are reliant on the military and strategic assistance of Moscow that has only grown stronger throughout the years.
One such country is Syria, that has been getting immense military support since 2015, following the decision of President Vladimir Putin to send Russian troops to the war-torn country to help Bashar Al Assad defeat the terrorists and foreign fighters that have been tearing his land apart. Another is Egypt, that receives significant supplies of Russia-made weapons. A third is Iran; Tehran and its ally, the Lebanon-based militia Hezbollah, have been getting diplomatic support from the Kremlin.
In this June 30, 2010 file photo, a Russian Buk-M2 air defense system is displayed at a military show at the international forum "Technologies in machine building 2010" in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow
© AP Photo / Mikhail Metzel
The Gulf states have also been gradually tilting towards Russia over the past several years.
Even before the eruption of the operation in Ukraine, the Gulf states have been regular customers of Russia's military industry. The coming to power of US President Joe Biden with his initial anti-Gulf rhetoric has pushed those nations even further into Moscow's fold. Cooperation has also been boosted around tourism, counter-terrorism and trade. For many, Russia has grown to be a nation that represented the voice of wisdom and responsible actions. Its policies stood in sharp contrast with those of the US, that snooped into the affairs of other nations and that imposed its will on them.
"Right now, with the conflict in Ukraine raging, Russia's image as a country that stays out of conflict has been damaged but once the operation is over, it will stand firm again. We need Russia to be strong, not only for its own sake but also for sake of our own survival".
