Downing Street Reaches Out To Gulf Leaders Amid Regional Tensions
UK UAE relations were front and centre this week after the British prime minister, in office for just over a week, held phone calls with leaders across the Gulf. According to Downing Street, the calls included Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait.
In his conversation with UAE officials, the prime minister thanked the country for helping protect British nationals living there during recent regional tensions, while also welcoming Emirati efforts to support negotiations between the US and Iran.
He condemned recent attacks on Saudi Arabia and Kuwait during the same round of calls. Beyond security matters, the discussions also touched on trade and investment, with the UK keen to deepen economic ties with the Gulf to help drive growth and create jobs back home.
Closer defence partnerships with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were also raised. The outreach reflects how central the Gulf has become to UK foreign policy this year, as London balances security cooperation with a push for stronger commercial ties across the region. More engagement between UK and Gulf officials is expected in the coming weeks.
