RUSSIA: PROSPECTS FOR A NEW LEGACY IN THE GLOBAL POWER GAME

As the new global order is going through great changes, new political and strategic policies have been adopted by many countries of the international community to comply with the transformation taking place. A very small number of states seem to be playing the leading roles in the game, while the majority basically perceives what’s going on, but have no significant role to play. Some basic questions arise: Who sets the rules of the game? Who are the major competitors, and challengers in the world of politics of today? Is a new Cold War era emerging between the United States and Russia? What kind of predictions can be made for the new world order? How can underdeveloped and developing states protect themselves in the new world order and guarantee peace and security? The researcher believes that the race and competition that has once characterized the world during the Cold War era still exist. Studying the positions of both the United States and Russia in current world events is a strong evidence of the hostile feelings that has mostly prevailed between them. Russia, on the one hand, is aspiring to regain its international status and world power, while the United States feels the emerging threat to its hegemonic power. Therefore, this study discusses a topic of great interest and importance to the world of politics and International Relations. It focuses on Russia and its presence in the Middle East as part of its aspiration to consolidate its strategic power and presence in the region. In other words, Moscow is attempting to regain the Soviet Union Legacy and to reestablish and consolidate the Russian presence in the Middle East. Special focus is made to the Libyan and Syrian crisis. Thus, the data and analysis carried out in this study will briefly explain the role of the Russian Federation in the Middle East by shedding lights on the sequence of its actions in the region since its first interference during the Former Soviet Union and during the Arab Spring. The article will also contain specific information about Russia’s historical ties with the Middle East Region, but only to the extent of understanding current events. Finally, the researcher makes a number of predictions and recommendations about the future of the world order