DUBAI: The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, recently met with the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to discuss growing tensions and “new crises” in the Middle East. This marked Prince Mohammed’s first trip to the UAE in three years, as reported by Emirati news sources.
The two leaders gathered on Sunday in Al Ain, a city located on the border with Oman, shortly after a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council took place in Kuwait. Official Saudi media referred to this visit as “private,” coinciding with a dramatic moment in Syria where rebels took control of Aleppo, the country’s second-largest city.
During their meeting, both leaders reviewed important regional and international issues, particularly focusing on the Middle East. They emphasized the importance of working together to maintain peace and prevent further crises that could endanger their region’s security.
This visit was significant for Prince Mohammed, often called “MBS,” as it was his first to the UAE since a state visit in 2021. Earlier this year, he and Sheikh Mohamed, known as “MBZ,” had met in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
In other news, Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad has claimed that the recent advances by rebels are an attempt to “redraw” the regional landscape. There have been speculations about a rift between the two leaders in the past. The UAE president, who is 63, once acted as a mentor to the younger 39-year-old Saudi Crown Prince, who is pushing for major changes in his country’s oil-dependent economy.
Initially, the wealthy Gulf nations supported Syrian opposition groups fighting against Assad’s government, especially during the Arab Spring protests that began in 2011. However, their stance shifted over time, with the UAE restoring diplomatic relations with Syria in 2018. Saudi Arabia also re-established ties with Assad last year by inviting him to an Arab League meeting in Jeddah, which marked the end of Syria’s isolation in the region.
The renewed tensions surrounding Syria come after a recent ceasefire was established in the ongoing conflict in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran.
