U.S. President Joe Biden met with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the White House yesterday, the first visit ever by an Emirati president to the United States. Biden also recognized the UAE as a major defense partner, marking just the second time the U.S. has made such a designation. (New York Times & Reuters)
Our Take
At first glance, there is nothing particularly noteworthy about the U.S. president hosting talks with the leader of the UAE. After all, the two countries have had close ties for decades, and yesterday’s official designation notwithstanding, the UAE has in effect been a major U.S. defense partner for just as long. The UAE has also been a key partner helping the U.S. to advance its agenda in the broader Middle East, establishing formal relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords in 2020 and participating in Washington’s informal anti-Iran coalition.
What is unusual about yesterday’s meeting, and the U.S.-UAE relationship more broadly, is that Abu Dhabi has for more than a decade concurrently pursued a maverick foreign policy that often runs directly counter to Washington’s interests. That includes, but is not limited to: