Dejected Putin tries to join the Great Gulf Game

The surge in Putin’s telephone diplomacy stands in contrast to his apparent reluctance to travel, even within the country, and to his notably reduced public appearances. He may presume that he is on the same political wavelength as the autocratic regimes in the Gulf states, but they increasingly see him as a loser who cannot extricate his country from the unwinnable war. While the PRC positions itself as a major stakeholder in the unfolding Great Gulf Game, and other external actors, such as India, Türkiye, and the European Union, are assessing the scope of their investments in the reconfiguration of economic flows and security ties, Russia has lost all traditional levers of influence. Putin’s best hope for maintaining a modicum of respect in the war-torn region is his communication with Trump, but the substance of this fluctuating dialogue has practically disappeared.