Relationship dossier
Maldives
Russia
Relationship assessment
Practical travel ties coexist with Maldivian opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Maldives toward Russia
-5Maldives supported United Nations resolutions condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, signaling opposition to a major element of Russian government policy. The two countries also maintain practical bilateral ties, including a visa-free travel arrangement.
Russia toward Maldives
+15Russia concluded a bilateral visa-free travel arrangement with Maldives for ordinary passport holders, facilitating travel between the countries. The breadth of other Russian government cooperation with Maldives is unclear.
Overall relationship
+10The relationship combines a practical travel arrangement with a marked difference over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, on which Maldives has supported condemning resolutions at the United Nations. The broader scope of bilateral cooperation is unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Maldives and Russia maintain practical ties, including a bilateral visa-free travel arrangement for ordinary passport holders. Maldives has also supported United Nations resolutions condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, reflecting a significant difference in their positions on that conflict. The scope and implementation of wider bilateral cooperation are unclear.
Areas of tension
- Maldives’ support for United Nations resolutions condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine contrasts with Russian government policy.
Key developments
Russia and Maldives concluded a visa-free travel arrangement for holders of ordinary passports.
Maldives supported a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral cooperation beyond travel and tourism are unclear.
- The extent of Russian educational or other assistance to Maldives is uncertain.