The Russian president’s recent visit to Egypt was greeted with much fanfare, writes Martin N. Katz, and it had a certain symbolic value. But the agreements signed by Putin and Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi are unlikely to yield much in the way of practical results:
Given that so little of substance seems to have resulted from Putin’s visit to Cairo, and that both Putin and Sisi must have known that this would be the case beforehand, it seems the value of their meeting had more to do with how it would appear. Sisi may have hoped that meeting Putin in Cairo would show Western governments critical of his undemocratic rule that Sisi has other options. . . . Similarly, Putin may have hoped that, at a time when Russian relations with the West are deteriorating sharply over Ukraine, being received in such a friendly manner by the leader of the most populous nation in the Arab world will be viewed by non-Western governments (and even some Western ones) as a sign that Putin is a respected, legitimate leader whom they too can—and should—work with. . . .
[However,] improved ties to Egypt . . . will not help Putin reduce the rising costs of his Ukrainian venture or significantly mitigate the impact on Russia of sharply lower oil prices. Nor will improved ties to Russia result in Moscow expending significant resources on behalf of Sisi. And both Putin and Sisi are undoubtedly well aware of all this.
Read more on Atlantic Council: http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/egyptsource/putin-s-visit-to-egypt-much-pomp-but-little-circumstance