The war between Israel and Iran, Russia’s key partner in the Middle East, is entering its second week, with potential for escalation and worrisome spillover effects. Yet Moscow is not rushing to support Tehran in any meaningful way. President Vladimir Putin has even downplayed the significance of the strategic partnership agreement signed with Iran just six months ago. Instead, Putin is courting Donald Trump, offering mediation: an offer the U.S. president was quick to reject. Will there be a more heavy-handed intervention by the Kremlin to help Iran? What cards can Russia still play to remain relevant? How could the escalating conflict in the Middle East affect Russia’s strategic position, including in Ukraine?
Podcast host Alex Gabuev is joined by his colleague, Artyom Shraibman, a non-resident fellow at Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, and one of the most prominent experts on Belarus, to discuss Belarus’ key role in European security.
Podcast host Alex Gabuev is joined by Farida Rustamova and Margarita Liutova, independent journalists and authors of the Faridaily English-language newsletter, to discuss the shocking suicide of Russia’s transport minister, Roman Starovoit, and what it tells us about the pressure inside Putin’s power system.
Podcast host Alex Gabuev is joined by Nathaniel Reynolds, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Program who worked in senior Russia policy roles during Joe Biden’s presidency, to discuss the recent NATO summit in The Hague and the implications for Ukraine, Russia, and Europe.
Podcast host Alex Gabuev is joined by Alexandra Prokopenko, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center and one of the leading experts on the Russian economy, to assess the current state of Putin’s wartime economy and discuss its future prospects.