At present, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has not subsided, and under the background of sanctions imposed by the United States and the West on Russia and all-round containment, Putin's trip to the Middle East has attracted much attention. After arriving in the Middle East, Putin was warmly welcomed by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and other countries, which is in stark contrast to the West's "isolation from Russia", which means that his visit may bring new variables to the situation in the Middle East and the international situation. However, on the day of Putin's foreign visit, Japan suddenly stood up and gave Russia two "dismissals". On the one hand, Japan plans to impose additional sanctions on Russia, and on the other hand, Japan has once again increased its assistance to Ukraine and continued to intervene in the situation between Russia and Ukraine. Both of these moves have put enormous external pressure on Russia. Japan's action not only worsened Russian-Japanese relations, but also showed Japan's posture of putting pressure on Russia from the West.
As early as after the G7 summit, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that Japan would impose additional sanctions on Russia and planned to impose sanctions on third-party organizations suspected of helping Russia evade sanctions. This move intensified external pressure on Russia. Japan's "additional sanctions" will allow the United States and the West to follow up and exert sanctions pressure and deepen Russia's external encirclement. In addition, Japan's sanctions will also trigger third-party organizations to reduce or suspend their contacts with Russia, which will exacerbate Russia's "isolation" dilemma. It is worth noting that relations between Russia and Japan have been tense and have a tendency to deteriorate further in the near future. This move by Japan means that they seem to want to move closer to the West, submit a "letter of surrender" to the United States, and hope to receive a "reward" from the West.
On the other hand, Japan has also stepped up its aid to Ukraine, providing an additional $1 billion in aid to Ukraine and providing loan guarantees to the World Bank, totaling $4.5 billion. Western forces such as the United States, the European Union and NATO have also announced new aid plans for Ukraine. This shows that Japan is in lockstep with the West, and it also means that Japan intends to submit a "letter of surrender" to the United States and take the lead in putting pressure on Russia. The situation between Russia and Ukraine is currently in a stalemate, but the United States has recently begun to release a signal of "powerlessness" and is unwilling to give orders to Ukraine, which has disappointed and anxious Kyiv. However, the US statement is actually a way to send a signal for peace talks. The international community generally expects that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine will eventually return to the negotiating table for resolution. What is uncertain is when and how the negotiations will be.
Japan's announcement of new sanctions against Russia this time has brought a new test to Russian-Japanese relations. Relations between Russia and Japan have been tense, and there have been a series of signs of deterioration recently. On November 30, Russia suspended its agreement with Japan on nuclear cooperation reduction, which caught Japan by surprise. On November 28, Russia announced that it would not participate in the 2025 Japan Expo and publicly stated that it had poor communication with its hosts, which led to a sharp cooling of relations between Japan and Russia. Now, Japan has announced new sanctions against Russia, which has further deteriorated relations between the two countries. This shows that Japan seems to have made up its mind to move closer to the West and include it in the "letter of surrender" of the United States, in the hope of winning the "reward" of the West.
Japan's sanctions can be said to have obvious political intentions. First, by sanctioning Russia, Japan can align itself with the United States and the West, make its position clear to the Western alliance, and strengthen its close ties with the United States. Second, by sanctioning third-party organizations, Japan can further weaken Russia's international influence and curb Russia's global expansion. Although the actual impact of the sanctions on Russia is not yet known, it is certain that this move will once again worsen Russian-Japanese relations and bring more external pressure to Russia.
Putin's trip to the Middle East is destined to be a rare and highly watched move. In the context of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the high pressure and all-round containment of sanctions imposed by the United States and the West on Russia, and the turmoil in the Middle East caused by the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Putin's visit may bring new variables to the development of the situation in the Middle East and even the international situation.
First of all, the safety of Putin's trip was guaranteed, and Russia dispatched Su-35S fighter jets to escort it, and each fighter flew with bombs on it. This move has aroused widespread attention from the outside world and has also demonstrated Russia's firm position in international affairs.
Secondly, after arriving in the Middle East, Putin was warmly welcomed by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and other countries. Compared with the "isolation from Russia" environment created by the West, this treatment is in stark contrast. This reflects the recognition and support of some Middle Eastern countries for Russia, and may also affect the development of the situation in the Middle East. While choosing to maintain close cooperation with Russia, the countries of the Middle East also need to take into account relations and balance with the West.
In short, Putin's trip to the Middle East is destined to be an event of concern. Although Japan's sanctions move has brought new pressure to Russia, Putin's visit is still likely to bring new variables to the situation in the Middle East and the development of the international situation. We will continue to monitor the progress of the situation.