Axis Institute examines how Saudi Arabia’s oil production strategy continues to shape global power dynamics, drawing direct parallels between the Kingdom’s decisive 1985 market intervention and its current role in OPEC+ policy. The analysis highlights how Riyadh’s willingness to expand output amid falling prices contributed to the Soviet Union’s fiscal collapse and now exerts similar pressure on Russia, whose revenues have plunged under sanctions and price discounts. By situating Saudi Arabia’s actions within the broader architecture of economic warfare, this insight underscores the enduring geopolitical leverage of energy markets and the strategic use of production capacity as a tool of statecraft. It offers a timely perspective on how oil remains central to great power competition and the evolving balance of international order.