The Saudi-Russian Rapprochement

摘要

In contemporary international relations, sovereign states often switch alliances and forge relations with their former adversaries with the intent to fully maximise their national interests. So, it can safely be said that the national interests of a country determine the direction and nature of its foreign policy. The ongoing bonhomie between Russia and Saudi Arabia is a case in point, indicating how the shifting sands of the Middle East and Russo-Saudi converging economic and security objectives have brought the two countries on the same regional page, albeit in the midst of some geopolitical and security divergences between the two countries.