The Saudi-Russian New Relationship and its Effects Globally (Research Paper Sample)

The Saudi-Russian New Relationship and its Effects Globally
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The Saudi-Russian New Relationship and its Effects Globally
Introduction
The role of international relations is seen as an emerging point of development among all nations since it transcends to peace and security. Cooperation among nations has become the focus of a wide range of studies in the past decade. Recent international relations literature on cooperation adopt a more distinct approach as it intends to focus on the systemic level of analysis. At times peace seems to break out all over, and the world enters an era of hope, full of the promise of international cooperation. The end of wars such as the cold war spark such vision. The waxes and wanes of international tensions have engendered omnipresent fears of likely war between the major world powers. Wars in past decades come at a higher cost as most countries, especially the United State of America (USA) over the years has invested heavily building nuclear weapons and other equipments for such purposes. Hence, a vast increment in its defense spending.[Stein, Arthur A. Why nations cooperate: circumstance and choice in international relations. Cornell University Press, 1990.]
However, there is a link between the international standing of the state and between the sources of power that distinguish them from other countries, and when choosing allies to be interest is the yardstick by which it is a choice, and in a world in which receded values supreme humanitarian principles has become a benefit that could accrue to the state of its alliance with the other is a measure of convergence between them. The benefit that an ally can offer is the criterion of choice. Another important criterion for choosing an ally is the level of scientific and industrial progress, economic and military power, geographic location, evolving political system, market size, population, etc.
If we want to measure the strength of Saudi Arabia according to these criteria, we find them at an average level among the countries that can be chosen as an ally, if we compare them to France, Germany, China, Japan or India, for example. This raises a very important question: What distinguishes the Kingdom? What is the source of its real power on the international stage, a country that has these standards? And why is the United States keen to take the kingdom as an ally, and this was demonstrated by a telephone call that singled out US President Donald Trump by King Salman bin Abdul Aziz in the first days of his presidency?
Based on that telephone conversation, some analysis and comments were published in the press. The analysis is mostly a repetition of old words, including the long history of private relations between the two countries, the existence of large financial assets of the Kingdom in the United States, the existence of large oil reserves, and the geographical location of the Kingdom, and of course it is not fair to reduce any of these factors. For all its weight in the balance relations between States. Many analysts have missed the realization of the kingdom's international weight, most important of all, the status and weight of Saudi Arabia in the Muslim world because of the presence of the two holy mosques in its territory, in addition to Saudi Arabia's great efforts in their service. It is honest work on the rest of the pilgrims. This is a source of strength, pride, and dignity for the Kingdom and its people. This is the most important source of strength of the Kingdom in the balance of international forces.
The foreign policy of the Kingdom has always been characterized by a clear attitude and clarity of purpose, manifested through its Arab, regional and international relations, and through its position which continues to reflect independent policies that consider the Arab and Islamic dimensions as an essential element in dealing with the world's influential countries. Therefore, it is rare to note a significant change in Saudi Arabia's foreign policy or international relations. A long time ago, Saudi relations with the Western countries in general and especially with America strong partnership up to the stage of the Allies. We could recognize this significant change when Saudi Arabia opened the horizon for a new relationship with Russia after the Saudi King visit to Moscow in 2017 which resulted in signing long-term contracts and agreements included economic, trade and military.
Problem Statement
The Saudi-American partnership throughout history has been one of the most important components that shaped geopolitics in the Middle East. However, Iran's growing hostility and its excesses in the Middle East by interfering in the internal affairs of neighboring countries such as Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, radical changes in Saudi Arabia's internal vision and rules and unresolved issues by the Trump administration over the Middle East have prompted Riyadh to diversify its bilateral relations. This resulted in King Salman's historic visit to Moscow for four days in October 2017 as the first visit of a Saudi King to Russia, which ended with the signing of major economic, trade and military agreements. Saudi-Russian rapprochement is likely to have enormous strategic and economic consequences for geopolitics in the Middle East, Saudi western allies and global economy thru the oil market.
Research Objectives
1. To identify the circumstances of the Saudi-Russian bilateral relationship that came late and the history and background of their relations.
2. To study about the potential impact on Russia's partners in the Middle East and on US presence in the Middle East.
3. To examine the implication of the bilateral relationship between two of the largest oil-exporting countries (Saudi Arabia and Russia) on the oil markets and thus on the global economy.
Research Questions
1 Why did Saudi Arabia choose Russia as a partner at this particular time?
2 What is the nature of the former Saudi-Russian relations?
3 What is the implication of this step on the Saudi-American partnership?
4 What is the impact of this partnership on the future of oil production, power markets, and the global economy?
5 How will this partnership affect geopolitics in the Middle East?
Literature Review
On 11 July 2017 during the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits Moscow in preparation for the Saudi King’s visit, Agnieszka Legucka from the Polish Institute of International Affairs Predicted that Saudi Arabia and Russia would develop their relationship to solve the Syrian crisis. Because their differing views on Iran's role in the Middle East, the writer predicted that cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Russia won’t include armament contracts and will be limited to energy, especially the oil market to use this cooperation to reduce the American influence in the Middle East. This study will focus on unexpected armament contracts signed by Saudi Arabia and Russia Which included the sale of Russian S-400 missiles in addition to several heavy and medium weapons and individual weapons such as the sale and reprocessing of Kalashnikov rifles.[Agnieszka Legucka, Russia-Saudi Arabia Cooperation: Potential and Limitations, Bulletin, No. 66 (1006), 11 July 2017.]
After the visit, according to Vinay Kaura, he touched on Russia's attempt to exploit the shrinking US presence in the Middle East to find a good geopolitical position after Saudi-American relations were strained under the Obama administration when it agreed to Iran's nuclear program. Despite the return of improved Saudi-US relations under the Trump administration, which signed with Saudi Arabia arms deals amounting to 110 billion dollars in May 2017, but Saudi Arabia has been seriously considering dealing with Moscow to ensure its interests in the Middle East in critical times. In his article, he focused on the political issues and the Middle East geopolitical cases. Although his article carries a lot of realism and logic, his analysis is so comprehensive that it does not address the common interest of Saudi Arabia and Russia, which could pose a real threat to the US economy and the petrodollar by controlling oil production and the power market. This study will try to link the political, economic and security conditions surrounding this relationship.[Vinay Kaura, The Dynamics of Saudi-Russian Relations, BESA Center Perspectives, 22 October 2017, Paper No. 623.]
Elnur Hasan Mikail, Cavit Emre Aytekin did not exaggerate when he described the Saudi-Russian relationship with the new phenomenon and when he said it is a fundamentally unfriendly relationship. Referring to points of disagreement between them, the writer finds that the points of contention are the support of Saudi Arabia to the fundamentalists or jihadists after the Soviet Union, the foreign policy of Russia in the Middle East in addition to Russia's support for Iran. Regarding the writer, tensions caused by differences in ideologies and regional struggle for interest became the main factor in the relationship between Russia and Saudi Arabia in the Soviet era and the era of the Russian Federation. However, as the global political balance changes and the changing developments of the game take place in the Middle East, the concept of traditional non-friendly relations between Russia and Saudi Arabia has faced the possibility of convergence. This article focused on the present and past circumstances for this relationship and how it could affect both countries and their interests when he mentioned Russia and Saudi Arabia are still controversial in some critical issues such as the energy market, the future of Syria, the rise of Islamism, etc. Thus, the Russian-Saudi relationship naturally depends on its various interests in controversial issues such as the energy market and the dynamic nature of the ...