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The Suez Canal. Between 12 and 15 percent of total world trade goes through this maritime shortcut bottleneck — making it a prime target (Photo: Wikimedia)

Will Russia soon control the Red Sea?

When I left as an envoy from the European Parliament to Cairo in 2011, a Barcelona MEP told me that if I succeeded in holding up the Suez Canal, my mission would be successful. That was meant as a joke, of course, but it did draw my attention to the global importance of the Suez Canal and the Red Sea.

But it was only when I was literally standing at the edge of the canal, watching huge container ships sailing uninterrupted to and from the Red Sea, that it dawned on me how important thi...

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Disclaimer

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s, not those of EUobserver

Author Bio

Koert Debeuf is distinguished adjunct professor of the Middle East at Vrije Universiteit Brussels, author of Why this is not the last war. On the psychology of international conflicts", and chair of the board of EUobserver.

The Suez Canal. Between 12 and 15 percent of total world trade goes through this maritime shortcut bottleneck — making it a prime target (Photo: Wikimedia)

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Author Bio

Koert Debeuf is distinguished adjunct professor of the Middle East at Vrije Universiteit Brussels, author of Why this is not the last war. On the psychology of international conflicts", and chair of the board of EUobserver.

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