The level of military, security, political, and economic collaboration between Cairo and Moscow has grown significantly over the past few years. The level of military, security, political, and economic collaboration between Cairo and Moscow has grown significantly over the past few years.Įgypt’s reluctance to antagonize Russia should come as no surprise. Since seizing power in 2013 and becoming president in 2014, Egypt’s Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi developed a strong relationship with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that resulted in a comprehensive partnership agreement in 2018 between the two countries. In a statement on March 1, they urged Egypt to join with other nations in showing its support for Ukraine because it “upholds the same principles of peace, stability and the integrity of the international rules-based order.” The next day Egypt voted with 140 other members on a United Nations General Assembly resolution that deplored Russia’s invasion and “called for the immediate withdrawal of its forces.”Įgypt’s reluctance to antagonize Russia should come as no surprise. The G7 and EU ambassadors in Cairo pushed Egypt to express support of Ukraine. Egypt thus adopted an ambiguous stance: it called for dialogue between Russia and Ukraine and urged both countries to use diplomacy to find a political solution for the conflict.Ĭairo’s position triggered prompt expressions of frustration from its western allies. In the beginning of the war, it was unclear to Egyptian officials whether Cairo could remain neutral, particularly in light of its relations with Moscow and Kyiv. The Russian invasion of Ukraine took Egypt (and the rest of the world) by surprise. The ongoing Russian–Ukrainian crisis allows little room for Egypt to maneuver between the conflicting parties.
Its good relationship with Russia puts it at odds with its western allies, particularly the United States and the European Union, which provide significant military, economic, security, and political support to Cairo. As the world’s largest importer of wheat with a significant reliance on Russian and Ukrainian supplies, Egypt is bracing for a major food crisis in the coming months.
For Egypt, the war is expected to have a major impact on its economy and foreign policy.
The Russian war on Ukraine will have significant impacts on countries in the Middle East, ranging from strategic realignments to energy security and food supplies.
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