Russian Middle Eastern Foreign Policy during Putin's Presidency

The aim of this paper is to detect and evaluate factors that formed the foundation of Middle Eastern foreign policy of the Russia under Putin’s presidential term. During Putin presidency, Russia has changed its role from being merely the observer of changes in Middle East to being an influential factor. Based on evolutionism theory, Russia`s foreign policy has been created by two original factors of “definition of national and international identity” and “external pressures”. In this regards, Putin attempted to define a type of national identity which was fundamentally based on Specialism as a selected nation between East and West and with emphasis on the role of Russia as a great power in international system. Moreover, external pressures which were mostly resulted from American actions for encirclement and isolation of Russia in Near Abroad, Middle East and international system as well as intimidations resulting from Islamic fundamentalism throughout Near Abroad and Russia with focus on Chechen, all these factors and pressures provoked Russia to chose a more active foreign policy toward the Middle East and to initiate attempts in order to increase its role in Middle east events.