The United States - Russia competition in the Middle East after the Ukraine conflict

Abstract

With its critical geostrategic location and abundant natural resources, the Middle East has long been a region of strategic competition among major powers, including the U.S and Russia. Since the outbreak of the Russia - Ukraine conflict in 2022, the U.S. - Russia relations have entered a heightened state of tension, leading to new dynamics in their rivalry within the Middle East. Through methods of analysis, synthesis, and comparison, this paper demonstrates that the Middle East has consistently held strategic importance for both the U.S and Russia especially in the post-Ukraine conflict context. The paper also reveals that the U.S - Russia competition in the region has shifted from conventional strategic confrontation to a more indirect, flexible, and globalized rivalry, in which Russia holds the advantage, bolstered by increasing support from Middle Eastern countries.