MIDDLE EAST ECHO OF THE EUROPEAN WAR. PART 2

Abstract

In the second part of the article, the author considers the attitudes of the leading countries of the Middle East region in relation to what is happening around Ukraine in general and Russia in particular. In his opinion, the previously described political models of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey regarding the Ukrainian conflict remain the same even after a year of hostilityes. In fact, Iran and Israel also adhere to a similar approach to this problem. Its features in relation to each of these countries are highlighted in detail in this part of the article. At the same time, however, the author focuses on a more distinct manifestation of the basic attitudes that underlie the real policy of Tehran (pro-Russian) and Jerusalem (within the framework of the «collective West») in relation to what is happening around Ukraine. These differences have led to a spike in tensions between the two warring Middle Eastern states and even to what appears to be Israeli drone strikes on a military installation in Iranian Isfahan on January 29th. This attack, coupled with the supply of an impressive amount of Iranian weapons to Russia, weakens the military potential of the Islamic Republic, which is positively perceived by its rivals in the region – the Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf. The author’s conclusion is as follows: hostilities on the territory of Ukraine are beginning to have a growing influence on the military-political situation in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf.