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Podcast Episode
Carnegie Politika

A Friend in Need? Decoding Russia’s Position on the Israel-Iran War, with Nicole Grajewski and Arkady Mil-Man

Podcast host Alex Gabuev is joined by Nicole Grajewski, a fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Arkady Mil-Man, a senior researcher and head of the Russia Program at the Institute for National Security Studies, as well as a former Israeli ambassador to Russia, to discuss the fate of Russian influence in the Middle East amid the Israel-Iran conflict.

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By Alexander Gabuev, Nicole Grajewski, Arkady Mil-Man
Published on Jun 19, 2025

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Carnegie Politika is a digital publication that features unmatched analysis and insight on Russia, Ukraine and the wider region. For nearly a decade, Carnegie Politika has published contributions from members of Carnegie’s global network of scholars and well-known outside contributors and has helped drive important strategic conversations and policy debates.

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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?

Hosted by

Alexander Gabuev
Director, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center
Alexander Gabuev

Featuring

Nicole Grajewski
Nonresident Scholar, Nuclear Policy Program
Nicole Grajewski
Arkady Mil-Man

Senior researcher and head of the Russia Program at the Institute for National Security Studies, former Israeli ambassador to Russia

Arkady Mil-Man

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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