Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
While much of the world is suffering from the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting spike in energy prices, Russia has enjoyed a rare windfall. An easing of U.S. sanctions coupled with higher crude prices have propelled Moscow’s oil revenues to their highest point this year.
Is Russia emerging as a winner from the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran? What does conflict in the Middle East mean for the war between Russia and Ukraine?
Alexander Gabuev argues that U.S. President Donald Trump’s moves in Iran and Venezuela are not only a boon to Russian interests but also will push Moscow into a deeper partnership with Beijing. The director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center joined FP’s Ravi Agrawal to explain how Russia is navigating a moment of particular global flux.
Watch the interview at ForeignPolicy.com: foreignpolicy.com/live/alexander-gabuev-russia-putin-oil-iran
0:00 Intro
2:22 Russia’s oil profits
5:45 The war in Iran
10:03 Weaker U.S.-EU relations
12:30 Russian overextension
15:04 Is Russia helping Iran?
19:06 Victory Day parade
22:05 The Ukraine War
27:30 Russian public opinion
32:27 Trump-Xi meeting
36:45 Putin’s POV
On the go? Listen to FP Live as a podcast at link.chtbl.com/foreignpolicylivepodcast or wherever you get your podcasts.
FP Live is Foreign Policy's forum for live journalism that brings leading foreign-policy experts and thinkers together to analyze the world's biggest events. Visit foreignpolicy.com/live for the full conversation and more live journalism from Foreign Policy.
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While much of the world is suffering from the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting spike in energy prices, Russia has enjoyed a rare windfall. An easing of U.S. sanctions coupled with higher crude prices have propelled Moscow’s oil revenues to their highest point this year.
Is Russia emerging as a winner from the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran? What does conflict in the Middle East mean for the war between Russia and Ukraine?
Alexander Gabuev argues that U.S. President Donald Trump’s moves in Iran and Venezuela are not only a boon to Russian interests but also will push Moscow into a deeper partnership with Beijing. The director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center joined FP’s Ravi Agrawal to explain how Russia is navigating a moment of particular global flux.
Watch the interview at ForeignPolicy.com: foreignpolicy.com/live/alexander-gabuev-russia-putin-oil-iran
0:00 Intro
2:22 Russia’s oil profits
5:45 The war in Iran
10:03 Weaker U.S.-EU relations
12:30 Russian overextension
15:04 Is Russia helping Iran?
19:06 Victory Day parade
22:05 The Ukraine War
27:30 Russian public opinion
32:27 Trump-Xi meeting
36:45 Putin’s POV
On the go? Listen to FP Live as a podcast at link.chtbl.com/foreignpolicylivepodcast or wherever you get your podcasts.
FP Live is Foreign Policy's forum for live journalism that brings leading foreign-policy experts and thinkers together to analyze the world's biggest events. Visit foreignpolicy.com/live for the full conversation and more live journalism from Foreign Policy.
Subscribe to Foreign Policy's Youtube Channel: youtube.com/channel/UC1x_EgZtYkAzVavuONBrLZQ?sub_confirmation=1
Visit foreignpolicy.com to read the latest global news and analysis from FP.
Follow Foreign Policy:
X - twitter.com/ForeignPolicy
Instagram - instagram.com/foreignpolicymag
Facebook - facebook.com/foreign.policy.magazine
LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/foreign-policy-magazine
TikTok - tiktok.com/@foreignpolicymagazine
