In an article written by Habibulah Mohamed published in the New Arab, Rhiannon Smith is quoted giving her views on Russia's engagement in Libya:
It has taken Russia a long time to explicitly declare its position on the Libyan political landscape. As Russia shows itself to be more and more open to the candidacy of Haftar, other geopolitical developments strengthen their approach, perhaps ultimately providing an opportunity for a great deal of influence in a failed state on Europe’s doorstep."Russia still technically supports the UN peace process and the Libya Political Agreement, and as Haftar has consistently refused to compromise or participate in negotiations, it was politically tricky for Russia to declare its support for Haftar openly," said Rhiannon Smith, the Managing Director of Libya Analysis."Global political dynamics are shifting; with the Trump administration in power, the UN peace process is crumbling, and there are indications that several European nations are beginning to engage with Haftar. So Russia feels it can confidently back Haftar without repercussions in order to strengthen its influence in Libya and the wider MENA region."
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