Russia is rapidly expanding its footprint in the Middle East as it seeks to assert itself as a dominant player in the region. Today, it has several military bases in Syria; it has signed lucrative business and military deals with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Iran; it has bought shares in oil and gas in the Mediterranean; and—as the only actor that has relations with almost everyone—it is proving to be the go-to mediator for the conflicts across the region. And now Lebanon is in Moscow’s crosshairs.
Bilateral agreements and trade deals over the last couple of years demonstrate that both Lebanon and Russia are working to forge a closer alliance. While many agree the groundwork has been laid, what is still lacking is the political will towards greater formal cooperation on the Lebanese side. But with the formation of a new government and a changing landscape in the region, Lebanon’s political, business, and religious communities are now looking to Russia as a more willing and suitable partner with whom to work, especially in light of mounting U.S. pressure on Lebanon’s political and economic systems.