As Donald Trump pushes ahead with the second phase of his Gaza peace plan, Russia is making bold moves in the Middle East. Russian Security Council chief Sergei Shoigu met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo to deepen military cooperation, proposing joint combat training, defense agreements, and expanded use of Russian-made weapons. Moscow is also exploring projects near the Suez Canal and Egypt’s El Dabaa nuclear plant, a region critical to U.S. influence. The visit comes as Trump seeks support from Arab allies for his Gaza stabilization force, but divisions persist among regional players. The UAE and Jordan have hesitated to join, and Turkey remains excluded due to Israeli PM Netanyahu’s opposition. With the Ukraine war ongoing, Putin’s latest outreach to Cairo signals a strategic bid to expand Russian influence in the Arab world, potentially undermining Washington’s efforts to shape post-war Gaza governance.