US President Joe Biden met with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the White House yesterday, marking the first visit of an UAE president to the US. Biden also recognised the UAE as a major defence partner, the second time the US has made such a designation. (New York Times & Reuters)
Our take
At first glance, there is nothing particularly noteworthy about a US president hosting a meeting with the leader of the UAE. After all, the two countries have had close ties for decades, and despite yesterday’s official designation, the UAE has effectively been a major defense partner of the US for just as long. The UAE has also been a key partner in helping advance America’s broader Middle East agenda, having established formal ties with Israel through the Abraham Accords in 2020 and joining Washington’s informal anti-Iran coalition.
What is unusual about yesterday’s meeting, and the US-UAE relationship more broadly, is that for more than a decade Abu Dhabi has simultaneously pursued unorthodox foreign policies that are often in direct opposition to Washington’s interests, including but not limited to: