Cairo: In a significant move highlighting Moscow’s expanding influence in North Africa, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu arrived in Cairo on Sunday, heading a large delegation of senior military, nuclear, and arms officials for high-stakes discussions with Egypt’s top leadership, RIA Novosti reported.
Shoigu is scheduled to hold meetings with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Egypt’s national security adviser, foreign and defense ministers, as well as other senior security and intelligence officials. According to the Russian Security Council, the agenda centers on advancing agreements previously reached at the highest levels, particularly focusing on military and military-technical cooperation.
The delegation’s composition underscores the strategic importance Russia places on its partnership with Egypt. Key members include officials from Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state arms-export agency; Roscosmos, the national space agency; Rosatom, the nuclear energy corporation; as well as representatives from Russia’s ministries of interior, foreign affairs, justice, industry, and the National Guard.
Russia and Egypt share a long history of military and economic collaboration dating back to the Soviet era. Their partnership spans arms deals, energy cooperation, and grain supply agreements. However, Egypt continues to carefully balance its relations with Moscow against its commitments to Western nations and Gulf allies, particularly amid ongoing geopolitical crises in Ukraine and Gaza.
Shoigu, a longtime confidant of President Vladimir Putin and former defense minister responsible for major operations including Russia’s campaign in Ukraine, remains a central figure in Moscow’s defense and security apparatus. His presence in Cairo signals the Kremlin’s intent to deepen military-technical ties with Egypt and to strengthen its strategic foothold in the region.
Observers note that the outcomes of these talks could have wide-ranging implications, including new arms contracts, enhanced nuclear and space cooperation, and a recalibration of Egypt’s regional alliances. For Moscow, the engagement represents both a consolidation of influence in North Africa and a strategic counterbalance to Western and Gulf interests.
This visit also underscores Egypt’s ongoing efforts to diversify its security and energy partnerships, maintaining leverage by engaging multiple global powers simultaneously. The developments in Cairo are poised to attract close attention from international defense analysts and geopolitical strategists monitoring shifts in the Middle East and North Africa.