Russia Presents Itself as Pillar of Multipolar World Ahead of Landmark Summit with Arab Nations

President Vladimir Putin, in a message to the 34th Arab League Summit, invited the leaders of Arab countries and the secretary general of the organisation to attend the first Russia–Arab Summit on October 15. Putin expressed confidence that the meeting would "promote the further strengthening of mutually beneficial, multifaceted cooperation and help in finding ways to ensure peace, security, and stability in the Middle East and North Africa."

Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/ by T.seppelt, https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/pdm/

Countries of the League of Arab States

The idea of the summit has been under development for some time and was previously agreed upon during the "Russia and the Islamic World" forum in Kazan, Andrei Baklanov, Deputy Chairman of the Association of Russian Diplomats, told Pravda.Ru.

Summit Agenda to Address Palestine, Global Order, Energy Cooperation, and Trade Expansion

The agenda of the summit comprises the following:

• The situation in the Arab world, particularly "joint measures regarding Gaza, the West Bank, and the Palestinian issue as a whole."
• A new international order, where, according to Baklanov, positions need to be coordinated. He believes that the concept of a multipolar world cannot be sustainable without balancing Russia’s role with other global regions.
• Energy issues, with Gulf Arab states acting as Russia's key partners. Additional dialogue platforms have already been established, such as the Hakimov Club—a group for strategic interaction and analysis between Russian political figures and Saudi representatives, with potential for expansion.
• Expansion of trade, economic, and scientific-technical ties.

"In the 21st century, we need to reach new heights in this field. Our universities and research institutions should be ‘married’ to the already advanced structures of Arab countries," Andrei Baklanov said.

Arab League Members Increasingly View Moscow as Reliable Partner vs. ‘Self-Interested West’

Many Arab countries are either members of BRICS or seeking to join, as they "prefer working with us rather than with the exploitative West," the expert noted. He stressed that BRICS is neither anti-American nor anti-Western – it is rather a platform for aligning positions without targeting third countries.

Baklanov also suggested reinstating a national coordinating body—such as a State Committee for Foreign Economic Relations—arguing that private initiatives alone cannot ensure business efficiency.

Arab States Recognize Russia as a Power Center

The Arab League was founded in Cairo after World War II and today includes 22 member states. Many Arab countries have concluded that Washington is unreliable and unable to grasp their security concerns—especially after Donald Trump’s proposal to "relocate" Palestinians from Gaza, widely perceived in the Arab world as an endorsement of ethnic cleansing.

After visits to Moscow by Qatari and Omani leaders in April, it became clear that they could assist Moscow in dealing with the "new Syria," while Russia could support Arab states in aligning positions on U.S.–Iran nuclear talks. None of the Arab countries want a nuclear conflict in the region—nor do they support the strengthening of Israel. Algeria recently became the first foreign buyer of Russia’s Su-57E fighter jet.

Economic cooperation is also intensifying. Russia and Qatar agreed to each invest $1.14 billion into a joint investment fund. Oman wants Russia to participate in its Vision 2040 program in energy, agriculture, and tourism. Russian capital in the UAE economy has surpassed $30 billion, while Emirati investment in Russia has reached $16.8 billion—targeting manufacturing, transport and logistics, mining, and trade, with somewhat smaller amounts directed to finance and insurance. A free trade agreement is nearing conclusion. The UAE has become a more significant partner than Turkey in helping Russia circumvent Western sanctions.

In Egypt, Rosatom is building a nuclear power plant with a credit line, and Saudi Arabia remains a crucial partner through OPEC+. Arab countries have undoubtedly recognized Russia as one of the poles in a multipolar world, seeing their relationship with Moscow as aligned with their long-term national interests.

The strategy of Arab states is aimed at diversification, not replacement of existing partnerships—making the Moscow summit an opportunity to develop new channels of cooperation. The summit’s success will be measured by Russia’s ability to propose actionable economic and financial initiatives and concrete infrastructure projects.

Details

The Arab League, officially the League of Arab States, is a regional organization in the Arab world. The Arab League was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945, initially with seven members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and North Yemen. Currently, the League has 22 members.The League's main goal is to "draw closer the relations between member states and co-ordinate collaboration between them, to safeguard their independence and sovereignty, and to consider in a general way the affairs and interests of the Arab countries". The organization has received a relatively low level of cooperation throughout its history.