Vestnik RUDN. International RelationsVestnik RUDN. International Relations2313-06602313-0679федеральное государственное автономное образовательное учреждение высшего образования «Российский университет дружбы народов имени Патриса Лумумбы» (РУДН)10387Research ArticleRussia’s Policy of «Soft Power» in the Gulf States at the Beginning of the XXI CenturySlobodianN VMilitary Academyme-ga2007@yandex.ruTaras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv15032013351209092016Copyright © 2013, Slobodian N.V.2013Russia’s national interests in the Persian Gulf region are distinguished at the article. The main foreign policy tools to promote Russian national interests in the Gulf region are considered. There were studied the stages of formation and legislative consolidation of the national interests of Russia in the Middle East region, shows the importance of this region to strengthen national security of the Russian Federation. Identified and analysed policy elements of «soft power» of the Soviet Union in the region, and distinguished tools of expansion and strengthening of Russian presence in the Persian Gulf using educational diplomacy, economic cooperation and other components of the policy of «soft power».national interestsforeign policynational securityterrorism and extremismthe Gulf Stateseducation diplomacypublic diplomacyinvestment projectseconomic cooperationcultural expansionнациональные интересывнешнеполитическая стратегиябезопасность государстватерроризм и экстремизмгосударства Персидского заливаобразовательная дипломатияпубличная дипломатияинвестиционные проектыэкономическое сотрудничествокультурная экспансия