Great Power Competition

Policy Analysis on Great Power Competition

NATO solderis with alliance and national flags

US-Europe Security Cooperation at the Crossroads

Recent Chinese and Russian actions have shaken the national security establishment out of its complacency, underscoring how American cooperation with Europe, the Middle East, and other actors will not be so straightforward in this new era of great-power competition.

November 2022

◆

Michael Singh

Brief Analysis

Snapback Sanctions on Iran: More Bark Than Bite?

Threatening to reimpose old UN sanctions would likely have little practical effect on Tehran’s ability to trade oil and export drones, while the plethora of other potential complications suggest that it should be treated as a tool of last resort.

Oct 25, 2022

◆

Henry Rome
Louis Dugit-Gros

Fikra Forum

Will Haftar’s Heir Be an Ally of the Russians or the Americans?

As Libya's political dynamics continue to change, Washington's next moves are more important than ever.

Oct 21, 2022

◆

Khalil El Hasse

Flag of the Syrian Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)

Fikra Forum

Shifting Lines and IDPs: Azaz, Afrin, and the HTS Incursion

HTS is on the move through northern Syria, leaving locals in Afrin and Azaz even more vulnerable.

Oct 19, 2022

◆

Rena Netjes

Brief Analysis

The UN Resolution Against Russia’s Ukraine Annexations: How Did the Middle East Vote?

Most of the region supported the measure, with one nay vote, a pair of notable changes since the March resolution, and several strong statements in support of territorial integrity.

Oct 18, 2022

Maps & Graphics

In-Depth Reports

China's Security Presence in the Middle East:

Redlines and Guidelines for the United States

A more assertive Beijing means that Washington must work harder to protect its traditional partnerships and secure sensitive information.

Oct 18, 2022

◆

Grant Rumley

Articles & Testimony

Bismarck on the Bosporus

Turkey’s president faces a reinvigorated opposition at home, but he is trying to show he can still win elections while also playing Russia, the United States, and Europe against one another.

Oct 13, 2022

◆

Soner Cagaptay

Articles & Testimony

High Prices, War in Ukraine, a Cold Winter Ahead—and Now OPEC+ Piles On

The oil cartel’s reported plan to cut production could roil global markets, U.S.-Gulf relations, and American voter sentiment.

Oct 4, 2022

◆

Simon Henderson

Turkish President Erdogan at a summit with Russian President Putin in Sochi in 2021 - source: Reuters

Fikra Forum

A Domestic Audience for Turkish Foreign Policy

With elections in the balance, Erdoğan is playing a risky game of international normalizations in the hope that the Turkish electorate will approve of economic ties and immigrant solutions.

Sep 30, 2022

◆

Batu Coşkun
Gökhan Çınkara

A souvenir plate depicting Russian President Putin and Crimea - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

The Internal Forces Pushing Putin’s Escalation in the War with Ukraine

The partial mobilization suggests that he is more afraid of regime hardliners than the Russian public.

Sep 24, 2022

◆

Anna Borshchevskaya

Fikra Forum

Pragmatic Re-Balancing: the Saudi Dual Outreach to Israel and Iran

While the Middle East remains littered with flashpoints, Saudi Arabia is reaching out to Israel and Iran in an attempt to defuse simmering tensions and build consensus, with the Kingdom shifting from a confrontational to fence-mending approach.

Sep 20, 2022

◆

Leonardo Jacopo Maria Mazzucco

Russian President Putin and Iranian President Raisi meet in Tehran in 2022 - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Iran One Step Closer to SCO Membership

Assessing the real benefits—and limits—of joining the so-called “anti-NATO” can help policymakers better understand what Tehran, China, Russia, and other participants are getting out of their summits.

Sep 14, 2022

◆

Nicole Grajewski

Fikra Forum

Despite Airstrikes, Iran Continues to Permeate Western Syria

Efforts to counter Iran in Syria are solely focused on Iran’s military presence in the country, and have ignored the soft-power, cultural spheres of influence being developed by Iran as a long-term strategy.

Sep 14, 2022

◆

Omar Abu Layla

Fair-Observer-Arab-NATO-Middle-East-politics-Iran-news-GCC-news

Fikra Forum

The Middle East NATO: From Fiction to Fact

In light of increased regional tensions, the idea of a Middle East NATO is becoming more and more realistic, this time with the possibility of Israeli-Arab cooperation.

Sep 14, 2022

◆

Mohamed Chtatou

Chinese and Israeli flags on a table at a diplomatic conference - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

No, Israel Isn’t Falling Into China’s Orbit

Much has been made about their growing ties, but an in-depth look at their actual activity in various sectors shows that alarmism is unwarranted.

Sep 6, 2022

◆

Assaf Orion

Brief Analysis

How Turkey Views Russian Naval Access to the Black Sea

Despite supporting Ukraine militarily, President Erdogan has crucial political and economic reasons for preserving good ties with Moscow, so he is unlikely to take any actions in the Black Sea that are not strictly laid out in the Montreux Convention.

Sep 2, 2022

◆

Soner Cagaptay

Fikra Forum

The Consequences of Turkey’s Shifting Position on the Syrian Crisis

Although establishing ties between Turkey and the Syrian regime may seem like a smart move by Erdogan, the decision represents a betrayal of the Syrian people and its success is not guaranteed for the Turkish government.

Sep 2, 2022

◆

Salahuddin Hawa

Photo of Turkish and Taliban officials meeting in Ankara, October 2021.

Maps & Graphics

Brief Analysis

Looking for Legitimacy: Taliban Diplomacy Since the Fall of Kabul

The group’s international profile has risen substantially with help from China, Turkey, and other states, but Western leaders should curtail their engagement so long as Kabul keeps gaslighting them about its al-Qaeda ties.

Aug 15, 2022

◆

Aaron Y. Zelin

Photo of a Shahed drone in an Iranian military parade near imagery of Supreme Leader Khamenei..

Brief Analysis

Iranian Drones to Russia: Capabilities and Limitations

Besides signaling that Iran has shifted to active military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, the prospective transfer gives Moscow a stopgap option until its own advanced drones are ready for service.

Aug 1, 2022

◆

Farzin Nadimi

President Joe Biden greets Saudi King Salman in Jeddah in July 2022 - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

The True Promise of Joe Biden’s Middle East Trip

It is no exaggeration to say that the visit represents a transformation of Washington’s regional approach—including a rethink of the “pivot.”

Jul 27, 2022

◆

Dennis Ross
James Jeffrey

Supported by the

Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle East

The Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle East focuses on the region as a setting for heightened competition between the United States and other world powers, such as China and Russia.

Never miss a breaking event on U.S. policy interests in the Middle East. Customize your subscription to our expert analysis, op-eds, live events, and special reports.

Featured experts

Michael Singh

Michael Singh is the Managing Director and Lane-Swig Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute.

Anna Borshchevskaya

Anna Borshchevskaya is a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, focusing on Russia's policy toward the Middle East.

Regions & Countries

Issues

Great Power Competition

Policy Analysis on Great Power Competition

Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle East

Featured experts

Regions & Countries

Issues

Great Power Competition

Policy Analysis on Great Power Competition

Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle East

Sign Up for Email Updates from The Washington Institute

Featured experts