Whirlwind Putin Tour Highlights Moscow's New Reach in Mideast

MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia undertook a whirlwind tour to his new allies in the Middle East on Monday, underscoring the extension of Russia’s influence in the region and the continuing shrinkage of the United States’ role.

Mr. Putin touched down in rapid succession in Syria and Egypt, where he met briefly with their leaders, and planned to head later in the day for Turkey.

His excursion came as anger at the United States was running high over President Trump’s unilateral decision to recognize Jerusalem, the third holiest city in Islam, as the capital of Israel. That decision has helped isolate the United States and Israel angering allies in Europe and the Arab world while helping to convince the Arab public that the United States is solidly anti-Muslim.

In Brussels on Monday, for example, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel was firmly rebuffed when he encouraged the European Union to “recognize the facts” and endorse Mr. Trump’s action.

Mr. Putin’s trip had domestic implications as well, showcasing his role as a global statesman just as he embarks on a campaign for another presidential term, his fifth and possibly last.

At each stop, there was some accomplishment or friendship to trumpet.

In a brief visit to a Russian air base in Syria, where he was greeted by President Bashar al-Assad, Mr. Putin again said that Russia’s military had achieved its mission and would head home, a pledge he first made in March 2016 and has broken repeatedly in the past.

In Egypt, Mr. Putin and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi were to discuss issues that reflected Moscow’s expanding role: the resumption of direct Russian tourist flights to Egypt, suspended after the bombing of a Russian airliner; a potential agreement for the Russian air force to use Egyptian military bases; and plans for Russia to build a $30 billion nuclear plant, Egypt’s first.

The trip to Turkey was the last scheduled for the day, with the agenda focused on political talks to end the war in Syria and the sale of an advanced Russian S-400 air missile defense system to Ankara, something that Russia has in the past refused to do.

Russia has taken full advantage of the American reluctance to engage in various Middle East conflicts, especially Syria, to reconstruct relations with various capitals like Cairo, which expelled the Soviets in the early 1970s after years of close military cooperation.

Although Mr. Putin is assured of victory in the 2018 presidential election in March, he is seeking a record turnout and a record level of support, according to reports in the Russian news media.

Mr. Putin with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt in Cairo on Monday, during a trip showcasing Moscow’s global influence.CreditAlexander Zemlianichenko/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

To do that, he needs both to generate excitement in a lackluster campaign and at least appear focused on domestic issues, according to various analysts, even if he personally seems far more animated when discussing foreign policy than fixing roads. Hence, he wants to significantly reduce the Russian role in Syria before campaigning begins in earnest in February.

“People are not that much concerned about Syria, it is a faraway land that people do not know much about,” said Konstantin von Eggert, a political analyst and talk show host on independent television. If Russians think about it at all, he and other analysts said, they typically wonder why the Kremlin is spending money in a region long peopled by savages bent on killing one another.

In Syria, Mr. Putin repeated that Russian forces had defeated the threat from Islamic militants that they had come to confront two years ago, although many believe that the real purpose was to shore up Mr. Assad, at the time Russia’s last ally in the region.

“In two years, the Russian armed forces, together with the Syrian Army have defeated the most combat-capable group of international terrorists,” Mr. Putin said in a speech at the Hmeimim air base in Syria. “In connection with this, I have made a decision: A significant part of the Russian military contingent in the Syrian Arab Republic is returning home, to Russia.”

Other accomplishments Mr. Putin mentioned included preserving Syria as a sovereign, independent state; speeding the way for refugees to return home and creating the conditions for a political settlement to the conflict under the auspices of the United Nations.

As usual, Mr. Putin left himself plenty of wiggle room by saying that “a significant part” of the troops would come home. He also noted that Russia established a permanent presence, with the Hmeimim base and an expanded naval station at Tartus, Syria.

Mr. Assad depends on Iranian and Russia troops to shore up his own beleaguered army, and his ability to reassert control over Syria without the help of Russian and Iranian forces is doubtful.

Mr. Putin’s spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, was even more equivocal, saying that there was no specific timetable for the withdrawal. “It is clear that it is not a matter of a day,” he said.

Monday was Mr. Putin’s second visit to Egypt in two years, and President Sisi has visited Russia three times since 2013. The two countries have reached the early stages of an agreement for Egypt to allow Russian warplanes to use Egyptian military bases, which would be a major step in Moscow expanding its alliances in the region.

The two presidents also discussed the pending deal for Russia to build Egypt’s first nuclear reactor.

Egypt, on the other hand, is eager for the resumption of direct Russian tourist flights, representing billions of dollars in revenue. The were suspended in October 2015 after Islamic militants were suspected of bombed a Russian passenger plane leaving a Sinai Peninsula resort, killing all 224 people on board.