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The senior research fellow at the Institute of World Economy and International Affairs Nikolay Surkov (center), an expert on Russia and a professor of international relations at the University of Tehran Jahangir Karami (right), and the vice president of the Russian International Affairs Council Ambassador Aleksander Aksenenok (on screen) attend the Erbil Forum 2025 on February 27, 2025. Photo: screengrap/Rudaw
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ERBIlL, Kurdistan Region - Russia will deepen its engagement in the Middle East despite losing its Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad, experts said at the Erbil Forum 2025 on Friday.
"We lost one ally - Syria - but we have other partners," said Nikolay Surkov, a senior research fellow at the Institute of World Economy and International Affairs, emphasizing Russia’s pragmatic approach to regional diplomacy in a panel on Russia’s presence in the Middle East in the middle of global transformations.
"We are not withdrawing," he said, confirming Russia’s intent to maintain a long-term presence in the region amid speculations of alliance shifting after the fall of Assad.
With regards to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reported plans to redraw the region in collaboration with the United States, Surkov said that Russia prioritizes the status quo, opposes destabilization, and supports national governments against extremism.
He acknowledged Moscow’s engagement with the Taliban, but said that certain "benchmarks," such as forming an inclusive government, respecting minorities, and combating terrorism, must be met, referring to the possibility of establishing diplomatic relations with the new authority in Damascus.
He underscored Russia’s commitment to a multipolar world, and said Moscow is increasingly focused on strengthening ties with the Global South and the East.
Dr. Jahangir Karami, an expert on Russia and a professor of international relations at the University of Tehran, said that “A new regional system is unfolding in the Middle East following the conclusion of the Syrian civil war.”
The Middle East, now more than at any other time, is tilting towards multipolarity, according to Karami.
Surkov explained that "Russia tries to build new economic and political alignments," highlighting strategic partnerships with Egypt, Algeria, and the United Arab Emirates. Despite global rivalries, he asserted that pressing global challenges, including strategic stability, pandemics, food security, and climate change, necessitate broad international cooperation.
Surkov dismissed the notion of geopolitical competition in the Middle East, stating that Russia seeks "multidimensional ties" and desires to see the region "prosperous, stable, and safe." He positioned Russia and Arab states as allies in the broader struggle to fix global imbalances.
The panelists also addressed Russia’s internal vulnerabilities. "Russia has a huge Muslim population that is vulnerable to extremism," Surkov warned, reinforcing the need for stability in the Middle East. "Any destabilization of the region will result in crises that will reverberate globally."
Addressing Russia’s approach to the Kurdish issue, Ambassador Aleksander Aksenenok, vice president of the Russian International Affairs Council, said that Moscow has consistently advocated for Kurdish minority rights within the framework of international law.
"Russia never betrayed Kurdish aspirations for autonomy," he said, clarifying that while Moscow does not support secession, it has explored different models of governance for Kurdish communities.
"We lost one ally - Syria - but we have other partners," said Nikolay Surkov, a senior research fellow at the Institute of World Economy and International Affairs, emphasizing Russia’s pragmatic approach to regional diplomacy in a panel on Russia’s presence in the Middle East in the middle of global transformations.
"We are not withdrawing," he said, confirming Russia’s intent to maintain a long-term presence in the region amid speculations of alliance shifting after the fall of Assad.
With regards to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reported plans to redraw the region in collaboration with the United States, Surkov said that Russia prioritizes the status quo, opposes destabilization, and supports national governments against extremism.
He acknowledged Moscow’s engagement with the Taliban, but said that certain "benchmarks," such as forming an inclusive government, respecting minorities, and combating terrorism, must be met, referring to the possibility of establishing diplomatic relations with the new authority in Damascus.
He underscored Russia’s commitment to a multipolar world, and said Moscow is increasingly focused on strengthening ties with the Global South and the East.
Dr. Jahangir Karami, an expert on Russia and a professor of international relations at the University of Tehran, said that “A new regional system is unfolding in the Middle East following the conclusion of the Syrian civil war.”
The Middle East, now more than at any other time, is tilting towards multipolarity, according to Karami.
Surkov explained that "Russia tries to build new economic and political alignments," highlighting strategic partnerships with Egypt, Algeria, and the United Arab Emirates. Despite global rivalries, he asserted that pressing global challenges, including strategic stability, pandemics, food security, and climate change, necessitate broad international cooperation.
Surkov dismissed the notion of geopolitical competition in the Middle East, stating that Russia seeks "multidimensional ties" and desires to see the region "prosperous, stable, and safe." He positioned Russia and Arab states as allies in the broader struggle to fix global imbalances.
The panelists also addressed Russia’s internal vulnerabilities. "Russia has a huge Muslim population that is vulnerable to extremism," Surkov warned, reinforcing the need for stability in the Middle East. "Any destabilization of the region will result in crises that will reverberate globally."
Addressing Russia’s approach to the Kurdish issue, Ambassador Aleksander Aksenenok, vice president of the Russian International Affairs Council, said that Moscow has consistently advocated for Kurdish minority rights within the framework of international law.
"Russia never betrayed Kurdish aspirations for autonomy," he said, clarifying that while Moscow does not support secession, it has explored different models of governance for Kurdish communities.
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