Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hosted talks in Moscow with his Omani counterpart Yusuf bin Alawi on Feb. 18.

Lavrov and Alawi discussed the development of relations between Moscow and Muscat, as well as the coordination of conflict settlement across the Middle East. They focused, in particular, on the Palestinian-Israeli resolution process and the situations in Syria, Yemen and the Gulf region.

Moscow and Muscat have many points of convergence due to Oman’s efforts to conduct its foreign policy independently from international and regional powers. Oman has managed, to a large extent, to avoid controversies with Middle Eastern actors, as it often acts as a mediator between regional rivals.

Omani leaders have also grown increasingly concerned with Washington’s policies in the Middle East. Muscat is willing to consider alternatives to American security projects in the region if the United States and its main allies, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, fail to revise their policies that Muscat deems — without describing them as such in public — destabilizing.