1. Full name of doctoral candidate: Le Thi Anh Tuyet 2. Gender: Female
3. Date of birth: January 15, 1992 4. Place of birth: Ho Chi Minh City
5. Decision to recognize doctoral students: 2949/2021/QD-XHNV-DT dated December 28, 2021
6. Changes in the training process: Decision on adjusting the training time for doctoral programs No. 5672/QD-XHNV dated December 29, 2023 and Decision on the training time for doctoral students No. 2587/QD-XHNV dated May 22, 2024.
7. Thesis title: Strategic competition between Russia and the United States in the Middle East from 2000 to 2024
8. Major: International Relations 9. Code: 931060101
10. Scientific supervisor: Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ngo Minh Oanh
11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:
11.1. Purpose and scope of the thesis
The main objective of this thesis is to analyze and clarify the nature and dynamics of the strategic competition between Russia and the United States from 2000 to the end of 2024, thereby assessing the impact of this strategic competition on the two countries themselves, the region, and the world, as well as forecasting and providing policy implications for small and medium-sized countries, including Vietnam.
The subject of this study is the strategic competition between Russia and the United States in the Middle East, manifested through power tools such as military, economic, diplomatic, and technological means aimed at altering the regional power balance.
11.2. Research methods used
Group of specialized methods in international relations: Holistic analysis method, historical analysis method, foreign policy analysis method, economic analysis method, comparative power balance method, forecasting method.
Interdisciplinary methods in social sciences include: historical research methods, political science research methods, economic methods, and methods of synthesis, analysis, and comparison.
11.3. Main results and conclusions
11.3.1. Main results
The dissertation "Strategic Competition Between Russia and the United States in the Middle East from 2000 to 2024" has achieved the following outstanding results:
Firstly, clarifying the nature and dynamics of the Russia-US competition: The thesis points out that the competition between Russia and the US in the Middle East is multifaceted (political, economic, security-military, science and technology), with the Middle East region being a crucial strategic arena. Events such as Russia's intervention in Syria (2015) and the US withdrawal from the JCPOA (2018) reflect a shift in the competitive landscape.
Secondly, assess the impact of competition:
Russia is consolidating its status as a great power but is facing pressure from sanctions.
The U.S. maintains its energy and military interests, but faces significant costs and a decline in prestige.
The Middle East is experiencing increasing instability, but it is also creating opportunities for smaller nations.
The world is influenced by energy markets and a multipolar order.
Third, forecast and policy implications: The Russia-US competition will continue, requiring countries like Vietnam to maintain a flexible foreign policy and diversify their relationships to protect their interests.
Fourth, new contribution: The thesis provides a comprehensive analysis of the period 2000–2024, broadening perspectives and offering practical recommendations for small and medium-sized countries in the context of great power competition.
11.3.2. Conclusion
This dissertation provides a comprehensive analysis of the strategic competition between Russia and the United States in the Middle East from 2000 to 2024, based on the theory of structural realism and specialized research methods in international relations. The study clarifies the dynamics, context, and nature of the strategic competition between the two powers, indicating that the Middle East is a crucial region where geopolitical, energy, and security interests converge, and it is also the focal point of regional and global conflicts.
The thesis systematized the process of implementing Russian and American policies in the region, analyzing the stages, strategies, and specific policies along the main axes: political, economic, security-military, and science and technology. The research results show that strategic competition is driven not only by economic interests but also by the goal of asserting superpower status and shaping the regional order.
The study assesses the far-reaching impact of the Russia-US rivalry: it helps Russia regain its position but increases tensions with the West; the US maintains strategic interests but faces significant costs and a decline in prestige; and Middle Eastern countries simultaneously face instability and leverage the competition to maximize their benefits. On a global level, this competition contributes to shaping a multipolar order and further complicates regional conflicts.
Finally, the thesis forecasts the future trends of Russia-US competition in the Middle East, while also proposing policy implications for small and medium-sized countries, emphasizing the role of diversifying partners, proactively adapting, and applying independent and self-reliant foreign policy thinking. Overall, the thesis has added a theoretical and practical basis for studying strategic competition between great powers in the Middle East, and provided practical recommendations for foreign policy planning in the context of increasingly fierce great power competition.
12. Directions for further research:
The doctoral candidate's next research direction focuses on analyzing the impact of digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) on strategic competition among major powers in the Middle East. Building upon the structural realism theoretical framework and predictive scenarios developed in the dissertation, the research will expand its scope to include cybersecurity, hybrid warfare, and AI applications in defense, with a focus on how new technologies are altering the Russia-US-China competitive landscape in the region. The study is expected to employ case study analysis (such as the post-Assad Syrian conflict and Yemen) combined with quantitative data from international organizations (SIPRI, RAND). The research findings will provide policy implications for small and medium-sized countries, including Vietnam, in building technological and cybersecurity self-reliance in the context of increasingly complex great power competition.
In addition, the role of regional powers such as Türkiye and Iran, or the potential for Russia-US cooperation on global issues, could also be further explored.
13. Publications related to the dissertation:
Le Thi Anh Tuyet. (2022). “The adjustment of US policy toward the Middle East under President Donald Trump”. Journal of Science, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education.
Nguyen Minh Man, Le Thi Anh Tuyet (2023). “Competition between the US and China in the exploitation of high-tech energy in the Middle East in the first two decades of the 21st century”, Proceedings of the US-China Competition in the High-Tech Field, University of Social Sciences and Humanities – Faculty of International Relations, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences – Institute of American Studies, November 26, 2022, Ho Chi Minh City National University Publishing House, Ho Chi Minh City, pp. 300–313.
Le Thi Anh Tuyet. (2024). “Russian Federation Rebublic's diplomatic activities toward Middle Eastern countries to overcome the crisis caused by the US and Western sanctions (2014-present)”. Second international conference on the issues of social sciences and humanities. P.412-423. Vietnam national University Press. Hanoi.
Le Thi Anh Tuyet (2025). “US Policy in the Israel-Palestine conflict under president Joe Biden (2021-2024)”. Third international conference on the issues of social sciences and humanities. Vietnam national University Press. Hanoi.
Le Thi Anh Tuyet (2025), “The impact of Russia-US strategic competition on economic and political alliances in the Indo-Pacific region”, International conference proceedings Oppoturnities and challenges to the stability and development of the Indo-Pacific region, pp.84-104, The Gioi Publishers, Hanoi.
INFORMATION ON DOCTORAL THESIS
1. Full name: Le Thi Anh Tuyet
2. Sex: Female
3. Date of birth: January 15, 1992
4. Place of birth: Ho Chi Minh city
5. Amission decision number: 2949/2021/QD-XHNV-DT dated December 28, 2021 by University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi
6. Changes in academic progress: Decision on Adjusting the Training Duration for Doctoral Programs No. 5672/QD-XHNV dated December 29, 2023, and Decision on the Training Duration for the Doctoral Candidate No. 2587/QD-XHNV dated May 22, 2024.
7. Official thesis title: Strategic competition between Russia and the United States in the Middle East from 2000 to 2024
8. Major: International Relations 9. Code: 931060101
10. Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ngo Minh Oanh
11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis
11.1 Thesis purpose and objectives
The main objective of the thesis is to analyze and clarify the nature and dynamics of the strategic competition between Russia and the United States from 2000 to the end of 2024, thereby assessing the impact of the Russia-US strategic competition on both countries, the region, and the world, as well as forecasting and providing policy implications for small and medium-sized countries, including Vietnam.
11.2 The research subject is the strategic competition between Russia and the United States in the Middle East, which is expressed through various instruments of power—including military, economic, diplomatic, and economic tools—with the aim of shifting the regional balance of power.
Produce methods
- Group of specialized methods in international relations: Holistic approach method, the historical analysis method, the theoretical-practical reasoning method, the foreign policy analysis method, the economic analysis method, the comparative force correlation method, the forecasting method.
Interdisciplinary methods in social sciences: The historical and logical methods, political science research methods, economic methods, synthesis, analysis, and comparison methods.
11.3 . Major results and conclusions
11.3.1. The major results
The thesis “Strategic Competition between Russia and the United States in the Middle East from 2000 to 2024” has achieved the following notable results:
Firstly, it clarifies the nature and dynamics of the Russia-US competition: The thesis points out that the competition between Russia and the United States in the Middle East is multidimensional (political, economic, security-military, scientific-technological), with the Middle East being a crucial strategic arena. Events such as Russia's intervention in Syria (2015) and the US withdrawal from the JCPOA (2018) reflect changes in the competitive landscape.
Secondly, it assesses the impact of the competition:
- Russia strengthens its position as a major power but faces sanctions pressure.
- The United States maintains its energy and military interests but faces significant costs and a decline in prestige.
- The Middle East experiences increased instability but also opened opportunities for smaller nations.
- The world is affected through the energy market and the multipolar order.
Thirdly, it forecasts and provides policy implications: The Russia-US competition will continue, requiring countries like Vietnam to maintain a flexible foreign policy and diversify relations to protect their interests.
Fourthly, new contributions: The thesis provides a comprehensive analysis of the period from 2000 to 2024, broadens the multidimensional perspective, and offers practical recommendations for small nations in the context of great power competition.
11.3.2. Conclusions
This thesis offers a comprehensive analysis of Russia–US strategic competition in the Middle East from 2000 to 2024, grounded in structural realism and specialized international relations methodologies. The research clarifies the drivers, context, and dynamics of great power rivalry, highlighting the Middle East as a region of critical geopolitical, energy, and security significance, as well as a focal point of regional and global conflicts.
The scientific study examines Russian and US policy implementation in the Middle East, analyzing key phases, strategies, and policies across four main dimensions: politics, economics, security–military, and science and technology. Findings show that this competition is driven not only by economic interests but also by the pursuit of great power status and the ambition to shape the regional order.
The thesis assesses the broad impacts of Russia–US competition: for Russia, it aids in restoring great power status but increases tensions with the West and economic pressures; for the US, it helps maintain strategic interests but incurs high costs and declining prestige; for Middle Eastern countries, it brings ongoing instability but also opportunities to maximize national interests. Globally, this rivalry contributes to a more multipolar order and intensifies regional conflicts.
Finally, the thesis forecasts future trends in Russia–US competition in the Middle East and offers policy implications for small and medium-sized states, emphasizing partnership diversification, proactive adaptation, and independent foreign policy. Overall, the research enhances both theoretical and practical understanding of great power competition in the Middle East and provides actionable recommendations for foreign policy amid intensifying major power rivalry.
12. Future research directions: The prospective research direction of the doctoral candidate will focus on analyzing the impact of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) on strategic competition among great powers in the Middle East. Building upon the structural realist theoretical framework and the predictive scenarios developed in the present thesis, the study will expand its scope to encompass cybersecurity, hybrid warfare, and AI applications in defense, with particular emphasis on how emerging technologies are reshaping the dynamics of Russia-US-China competition in the region. The research is expected to employ case study analysis (eg, post-Assad Syria and Yemen) combined with quantitative data from reputable international organizations (SIPRI, RAND). The findings will provide policy implications for medium and small-sized states, including Vietnam, in developing autonomous economic capabilities and cybersecurity resilience amid increasingly complex great-power competition.
In addition, the roles of regional powers such as Turkey and Iran, or the potential for Russia-US cooperation on global issues, may also be further explored in subsequent studies.
13. Thesis-related publications
1. Le Thi Anh Tuyet (2022). “US Policy Adjustments toward the Middle East under President Donald Trump”. Journal of Science, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education.
2. Nguyen Minh Man, Le Thi Anh Tuyet (2023). “Competition between the United States and China in Exploiting High-Tech Energy in the Middle East in the First Two Decades of the 21st Century”. In Proceedings of the Conference on US-China Competition in High Technology, Faculty of International Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities – Vietnam National University Hanoi, and Institute of American Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (November 26, 2022) (pp. 300–313). Ho Chi Minh City: Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City Publishing House.
3. Le Thi Anh Tuyet (2024), “Russian Federation Rebublic's diplomatic activities toward Middle Eastern countries to overcome the crisis caused by the US and Western sanctions (2014-present)”, Second international conference on the issues of social sciences and humanities, pp.412-423, Vietnam national University Press, Hanoi.
4. Le Thi Anh Tuyet (2025), “US Policy in the Israel-Palestine conflict under president Joe Biden (2021-2024)”, Third international conference on the issues of social sciences and humanities, Vol.1, pp.480-492, Vietnam national University Press, Hanoi.
5. Le Thi Anh Tuyet (2025), “The impact of Russia-US strategic competition on economic and political alliances in the Indo-Pacific region”, International conference proceedings Oppoturnities and challenges to the stability and development of the Indo-Pacific region, pp.84-104, The Gioi Publishers, Hanoi.
Author:Department of Training and Non-profit Organization
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