March 19, 2025
By Nasser Kandil
• With the announcement of the conclusion of the lengthy phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the focus should be on the issues discussed rather than getting lost in the details of their agreements on the war in Ukraine.
• It is well understood that the positive shift in U.S.-Russian relations leading to this conversation was driven by Washington’s tacit admission of failure in subduing Russia through war, sanctions, and political and economic isolation. Consequently, an American retreat in the face of Russian military gains was inevitable, whether in terms of Ukraine’s future security status or the redrawn Russian-Ukrainian borders.
• However, Washington’s acknowledgment of Russia’s upper hand in the war is not enough to define broader trends in international relations. If this recognition remains confined to the battlefield, it suggests that Moscow has settled for being recognised as a dominant regional power rather than achieving its long-sought goal of full partnership in global politics as a great power.
• Details published later revealed that the discussions covered a wide range of global issues, including nuclear weapons, and the arms race, Iran’s nuclear program, the wars in Yemen and Gaza. While no formal agreements emerged on these matters, their inclusion in the dialogue between the U.S. and Russian presidents undermines the theory that Washington sought to bribe Moscow with gains in Ukraine in exchange for Russian silence on American unilateralism elsewhere, particularly in the Middle East.
• Russian leaks indicating an understanding that Saudi Arabia is central to a realistic resolution of the Palestinian issue, that the Saudi-Iranian agreement is key to broader regional stability, and that the Iranian nuclear dispute should be resolved through dialogue warrant close observation of Russian diplomatic movements in the region and their trajectory.
