Russia remains a highly influential player in the Middle East, with Arab countries and Turkey recognizing this, said Sergey Naryshkin, Director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), in a statement to TASS. He dismissed claims suggesting that Moscow is losing its foothold in the region.
"No, absolutely not. Russia is a very influential player in the Middle East, and this is understood by Arab countries and Turkey. There is no loss of Russia's positions in the Middle East," Naryshkin emphasized in response to reports in Western media.
Previously, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had also reiterated that Russia has no plans to withdraw from the Middle East.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on TASS materials