Protecting Eastern Christianity in the Middle East: Russia’s New Diplomatic Tool?, Spring 2015

Friday, June 5, 2015 | Download PDF in English

The intensification of Russia’s diplomacy in the Middle East is combined with a clearly defined objective: positioning itself as the new protector of persecuted Christians in the region. The author highlights both the ambitions of the Kremlin in the Mediterranean and the ever-growing influence of the Russian Orthodox Church, which has become a major political actor. Moscow sees Shiite Islam as its ally in the Middle East and is increasingly aligning itself with a Shiite axis composed of Iran, Syria, and the Lebanese Hezbollah. The author examines this burgeoning Russian-Shiite alliance in light of Russia’s strategic interests in the region.

CONTRIBUTOR

Bernard El Ghoul

Bernard El Ghoul is the Director of the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Campus of Sciences Po College, Menton, France.

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