In the last few years, Egypt has spent more money on Russian defense equipment than it has since the early 1970s. Cairo has also forged a substantial economic relationship with Beijing. In 2017, Turkey purchased Russia’s S-400 air defense system and has expanded its commercial and diplomatic relations with China. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates rolled out their red carpets in 2019 for Vladimir Putin, while in 2018 Chinese President Xi Jinping spent three days in the UAE.
Everyone in Washington who is paying attention knows that America’s partners in the Middle East have been dallying with its rivals. Beijing and Moscow have been investing, selling weaponry, and, in the case of Russia, intervening directly in conflicts to advance their interests in the region. More recently, however, they have added a new instrument of influence: the coronavirus vaccines.
