UAE-US relations undergoing 'stress test': Emirati diplomat

ByNews Desk- The Cradle

The ambassador's statement comes as the UAE seeks to carefully balance positive relations between both the US and Russia

(Photo credit: Alexei Nikolsky/Russian presidential press service/TASS)

The relationship between the US and UAE is undergoing a “stress test,” according to the remarks by a senior Emirati diplomat at a conference in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking at the International Defense Industry, Technology and Security Conference on 3 March, the UAE Ambassador to the US, Yousef al Otaiba, said: “Our relationship with the US is like any relationship. It has strong days where the relationship is very healthy, and days where the relationship is under question.”

The UAE has been balancing its relations between Washington and Moscow as of late.

The wealthy Arabian Peninsula nation is host to US troops, but at the same time it has made billions of dollars in investments in Russia in addition to its role coordinating stability of the energy market with Moscow as members of OPEC+.

Hinting at the UAE’s attempts to balance their relationship between Washington and Moscow, Ambassador al Otaiba said: “Today, we’re going through a stress test, but I’m confident that we will get out of it and we will get to a better place.”

The UAE recently made three moves in favor of Moscow since the beginning of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.

The first was to be one of the few nations to abstain from voting to condemn Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

The second was cementing cooperation to promote stability in the global oil market as members of OPEC+, which is beneficial to Russia in the face of unprecedented economic sanctions and pressures.

The third was suspending the visa waiver program for Ukrainians traveling to the UAE. However on 3 March Abu Dhabi did a swift about-face of their decision, announcing that Ukrainian nationals are still eligible for visa on arrival to the UAE.