There was hardly a sport at the Winter Olympics where a Russian wasn’t a contender for a medal. Russian athletes were everywhere.

Geopolitically, the same could be said of Russian politicians today: They are everywhere.

Earlier this year it was the Ukraine gas debacle, which spurred Europe into a minor gas crisis. More recently, Russia has become a chief negotiator in the Iranian nuclear issue, even telling Tehran that it will enrich uranium for Iran inside Russian borders. Russia even weighed in on recent Palestinian elections, when the Russian president told the world he has never viewed Hamas as a terrorist group and that he would welcome it at the Kremlin. Added to all this publicity is Russia’s central position in the global supply of oil and natural gas. Russia is everywhere!

Deutsche Welle wrote about this trend February 15: “At the moment, it seems the Kremlin will waste no opportunity to make its presence felt on the international stage …. In its recent diplomatic initiatives—from the gas dispute with Ukraine, to the public ambition of a full membership in the G8, to the invitation to Hamas, to its job as a mediator in the nuclear conflict with Iran—Moscow is demonstrating a new self-confidence that is bordering on a foreign-policy revolution“ (emphasis ours throughout). This nation was on the verge of war with America for decades, and now it is bordering on a “foreign-policy revolution.”

What’s more, it has become obvious that “[a]s it goes it alone diplomatically, the Kremlin this time appears not nearly as concerned with its image in the West …” (ibid.). Bolstered by its mammoth resources, growing economic stability and prosperity and the newly consolidated Putin government, Russia has become an independent, geopolitical powerhouse.

Russia’s evolution has become a complicating trend the West is finding difficult to deal with. To this point the Kremlin has not been shy in showing itself friendly with some of the more dubious, anti-Western states and peoples around the globe, including Iran, Hamas and China. Claiming Russia as a friend is proving especially beneficial for those nations with a distinct anti-American and anti-Western foreign policy. The Kremlin is proving an influential ally for these nations, and an increasingly annoying thorn in the side for America and Europe.

As Russian global influence mounts, the nation is aligning itself with one region more than any other. That region is Asia.

“In Asia, the market of the future, Russia has found acceptance without such political conditions [those of the West]—and not only as an exporter of oil and gas. In the decade-old ‘Shanghai Cooperation Organization,’ an alliance between China, India and Russia, a political security alliance—albeit a loose one—has been formed behind the idea of a ‘multi-polar world order’” (ibid.). Russia is in critical partnerships with both China and India.

There’s no doubt that Russia is deepening its national friendship—underpinned by mutual trade benefits—with both China and India. Look at Russia’s role in the revamping of the Chinese military, for example. As China swims in surplus cash earned from its immense exports, it looks to Russia for assistance in streamlining and advancing its military and nuclear program. In a sign of increased military cooperation, for the first time in history both nations joined together to conduct joint military exercises in August last year.

Russia is assisting India’s military too. Most recently, India announced that it plans to buy three more of Russia’s Talwar-class stealth frigates.

In December last year, the leaders of the 10 member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (asean) met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the first-ever Russia-asean summit. Both parties signed a declaration of partnership that is intended to ensure “the further development of economic and multilateral relations between the two sides to support the peace, stability, security and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region” (Stratfor, Dec. 13, 2005).

It is not surprising that relations between Russia and the orient are burgeoning, but the sudden depth of their political, economic and even ideological alignment is startling. Anti-American and anti-Western sentiment pervades Russian as well as Chinese politics and is growing stronger throughout the rest of Asia. Geographically close, resource-rich Russia is in a perfect position to fulfill Asia’s growing energy needs. As a world leader in weapons production, as well as a nation with an advanced nuclear program, it is also of great assistance militarily.

But Russia benefits as well. Cash-laden Asia, especially China, has been a welcomed customer for Russia. As the manufacturing house for the world, Asia is a beneficial trade partner for Russia. And added to all this are the political benefits Russia and Asian nations stand to gain from relations with each other.

China and India both strongly support Russia’s efforts to gain entry into the World Trade Organization. Most recently, Russia and China combined their efforts to further complicate America’s and Europe’s efforts to stop the Iranian nuclear program.

Watch for Russia to increasingly align itself with Asian nations. Europe is about to emerge from its economic and political malaise, and this will heighten Moscow’s desire for deeper relations with Asia. Russia will continue to provide weapons, oil, natural gas and other resources to China and the rest of Asia. In return, China and other Asian countries will increasingly supply Russia with goods and services. With trade underpinning their relations, as well as a growing anti-American and anti-Western sentiment pervading their governments, watch for Russia and Asia to grow more aligned politically.

Russia is indeed steering toward the East!