Religion and Soft Balancing: Russia in the Middle East

Religion and Soft Balancing: Russia in the Middle East

The decline of unipolarity in the international system creates openings for competitors to increase their spheres of influence. In this presentation, I examine how Russia seeks to increase its influence in the Middle East following the retreat of the U.S. from the region through a crucial but overlooked modality: religion. I focus in particular on the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in Syria and Palestine, and Russian engagement with both Sunni and Shi’ite interests in the region. I argue that the concept of “soft balancing” should be expanded to include the role that religion plays in contemporary balancing behavior.