MIDDLE-EASTERN VECTOR OF GERMAN FOREIGN POLICY (2010-2022)

Abstract

The article examines the development of German foreign policy in the Middle East. Among the reasons for its intensification in this region, the events of the «Arab Spring» stand out, which changed the political landscape of the Middle East and created the prerequisites for a possible violation of the territorial integrity of some countries in this region. This, in turn, led to a large-scale migrant crisis in the EU in 2015-2016, the consequences of which affected Germany to the greatest extent. It is noted that the most striking example of more active German diplomacy in the Middle East was an agreement with Turkey to finance its efforts to create camps for Syrian refugees. The continuity of Germany’s foreign policy is shown: with regard to Iran, Germany consistently advocates a return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the so-called «nuclear deal»); with regard to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Berlin has been advocating for the security of Israel and the peaceful settlement of the conflict for decades. It is emphasized that the share of the Middle East module in the foreign policy of Germany is constantly growing and that Germany is becoming one of the influential players in the region. The contacts of official Berlin with the monarchies of the Arabian Peninsula are considered. The conclusion is made about the multi-vector foreign policy of Germany in the Middle East.