Saudi Arabia is the custodian of Islam's two holiest shrines and one of the most developed countries in the Arab world. The current focus on Russian-Saudi relations, driven by economic and geopolitical challenges in the East, prompts renewed attention to its origins: it was Karim Khakimov, the legendary Soviet diplomat, who played a key role in establishing ties between the USSR and the Arab world in the 20th century, laying the foundation for relations with the Kingdom based on the principles of self-determination.
Dialogue between Russia and Saudi Arabia is today a crucial factor in global energy security. Both countries are among the largest oil producers, and the stability of global markets depends on their cooperation. A key milestone in these relations was the historic visit of King Salman bin Abdulaziz to Moscow in 2017 — the first visit by a Saudi monarch to Russia. This breakthrough followed the OPEC+ agreement reached a year earlier: reducing oil production to maintain prices demonstrated a rapprochement between Moscow and Riyadh. Today, trade between the two countries is steadily growing, over 40 joint projects have been implemented, and the Russian-Saudi Business Council is working to strengthen economic ties.
The national project "Vision 2030", the crown jewel of which is the metropolis of Neom, has become a powerful lever of Saudi Arabia's foreign policy. Built on innovative technologies, the city of the future has become a soft power tool, attracting investment and bolstering the Kingdom's international image. The Russian Direct Investment Fund has invested billions of dollars in Neom's construction — a clear sign of the trust between our countries. However, this ambitious project requires delicate diplomatic maneuvering: to build a bridge linking Neom with Egypt across the Straits of Tiran, Riyadh requires Israeli approval. This forces Saudi Arabia to make a difficult choice: normalizing relations against the will of the majority of Arabs.
Middle East experts note with alarm that the Israeli leadership's actions in Gaza and Lebanon are complicating constructive dialogue. In a region ravaged by complex conflicts and humanitarian disasters, the value of genuine diplomacy is greatly enhanced. The intensive and meaningful interaction between Russia and Saudi Arabia, which has become one of the most significant phenomena in the Muslim world, draws heavily on the legacy of the outstanding diplomat and orientalist Yevgeny Primakov. He was one of the founders of the Group of Strategic Vision "Russia - Islamic World" and the first to recognize the potential for cooperation with the leader of the Arab-Muslim world. But even earlier, at the dawn of Soviet diplomacy, an extraordinary figure — Karim Khakimov — was working to establish mutually trusting relations.
The childhood and youth of this talented figure were filled with a rare sense of purpose. A native of the Ufa province, Khakimov walked 200 miles to Orenburg to obtain an education, earning his own money for his studies and voraciously absorbing religious and secular knowledge. In Tomsk, he encountered Marxism and began promoting social democratic ideas among Muslims. These ideas resonated strongly with the problems that had been brewing within the Islamic ummah since the 19th and 20th centuries — issues that largely shape the relationship between religion and Russian power to this day.
Russian Oriental studies have always been distinguished by a desire to understand rather than exploit — it sought to grasp the soul of the East rather than profit from it. Khakimov's life vividly reflects this inner quest, a sincere attempt to address the pressing issues of the Muslim ummah. Before his appointment as Plenipotentiary Representative to the Kingdom, he gained invaluable experience in Turkestan and Iran. It was in diplomatic service that Khakimov's talent fully blossomed: he possessed a unique ability to find common ground with a wide variety of people.
On August 9, 1924, Khakimov presented his credentials to the King of Hejaz — the western part of the Arabian Peninsula, the cradle of Islam — belonging to the Hashemite dynasty, and became consul general and diplomatic agent of the USSR. When civil war broke out in the Hejaz, Khakimov found himself in an extremely difficult position, accredited to the losing side. But he demonstrated brilliant intuition, recognized Abdul Aziz ibn Saud as a future victor, and managed to establish contact with him. Thanks to his natural tact and deep respect for local traditions (he wore Arab clothing and performed the umrah), Khakimov won the sincere trust of the Bedouins. He was called the "Red Pasha", the "Arabian Vizier of the Kremlin", and affectionately "Karim Bey".
Khakimov faced a task of historic importance: preventing the Arabian kingdoms from falling under British colonial influence. Soviet People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs Georgy Chicherin advised him: "Our interests boil down to the unification of the Arab lands. If Ibn Saud pursues such a policy, it is in our interests." Khakimov accomplished this mission brilliantly, offering the Arabian monarchs an anti-colonialist path to development. In 1926, the USSR became the first to recognize Saudi Arabia, a move that prompted other powers to follow suit.
Khakimov reported to Moscow: USSR recognition played a huge role and strengthened Ibn Saud's position in Arabia. Chicherin personally analyzed his protégé's reports and highly valued his recommendations. Having cemented the relationship and become a friend of the king — the founder of the dynasty — Khakimov actively developed trade and economic ties. He later worked in Yemen and then returned to Moscow to continue his studies. When relations with Saudi Arabia required a new impetus, Khakimov was again appointed plenipotentiary representative. His personal authority allowed him to quickly restore dialogue and strengthen the trade partnership.
But then came the terrible years of repression. Khakimov was recalled to Moscow. Ibn Saud, sensing imminent disaster, offered his friend political asylum. The diplomat understood what awaited him, but remained true to his duty: "I already know what awaits me there, but I have no intention of hiding from what Allah has ordained..." In 1938, Karim Khakimov was executed. In profound protest, Ibn Saud refused to receive any other representative of the USSR, and relations between the countries were severed for many decades.
In February 2026, a memorial plaque in honor of Karim Khakimov was unveiled on the building of the Permanent Mission of Russia to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This is a tribute to a man whose role in establishing diplomatic relations with the Arabian Peninsula was truly enormous. He built bridges of friendship between our country and the Arab world and fostered a positive image of his homeland. Khakimov's example is an invaluable reminder that humanity, courage, high professionalism, and a keen intellect can bring together people from seemingly distant worlds.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Rosselkhoznadzor