May 10, 2025

As President Donald Trump convenes Gulf leaders for a highly anticipated summit focused on regional realignment and economic cooperation, another summit—held thousands of miles away in Moscow—has unfolded with starkly different symbolism and strategic intent.

While Trump surrounds himself with Saudi, Emirati, and Qatari leaders in an effort to reshape the Middle East through diplomacy and Gulf-backed investments, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted a powerful and controversial gathering of the BRICS+ alliance. The guest list included Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, and Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro—each a central figure in what analysts describe as the largest anti-Western alignment since the Cold War.

A New Global Axis

The Moscow summit focused heavily on de-dollarization, alternative trade routes, and new financial systems that bypass U.S.-dominated institutions. According to reports from Russian and international outlets, attendees discussed expanding BRICS financial mechanisms and accelerating the creation of a new trade currency, as well as increased energy and technology collaboration between authoritarian regimes.

The presence of Maduro—a dictator accused of overseeing state violence, repression, and mass displacement in Venezuela—was especially significant. His inclusion signals a new confidence among rogue regimes under the protection of Russian and Chinese power. What once would have drawn international outrage now earns a seat at the table of global economic discourse.

The Gulf Summit Without Israel

Meanwhile, Trump’s summit in the Gulf is drawing headlines for who’s **not** at the table: Israel. Despite being one of America’s closest allies and a key player in every regional security calculus, Jerusalem has been sidelined from discussions related to Gaza’s post-war future, Saudi Arabia’s nuclear development, and U.S.–Gulf security guarantees.

The optics are jarring: while one summit consolidates authoritarian influence, the other is pursuing strategic deals and normalization pacts—without fully including the one democracy in the region actively fighting Iranian proxies on every front.

Two Orders. One Silence.

What’s emerging is a tale of two world visions: 

- One in Moscow: authoritarian, economically insulated, anti-Western, openly defiant of Israel and U.S. allies. 

- One in the Gulf: commercially aligned, strategically cautious, increasingly detached from Israel’s defense needs.

Israel, fighting wars in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, is watching both summits unfold with growing unease. Neither appears designed to reinforce its security. And both reflect a deeper trend: the world is reorganizing—and Israel is not at the center of either axis.

Closing Commentary

As these parallel summits take shape, the question for Washington—and Jerusalem—is not just what deals are being made, but what alliances are being ignored.

This moment is about more than policy. It’s about posture. And the absence of Israel in both diplomatic theaters may carry consequences far greater than any single summit can measure.

Two rooms. Two maps. One covenant left unspoken.

According to U.S. media reports, President Trump will be accompanied by key members of his national security and foreign policy team, including Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Defense—who recently canceled a planned trip to Israel—and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. The presence of this full strategic delegation underscores the significance of the summit and Trump’s intention to secure regional deals involving economic and defense cooperation, particularly with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar.