The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States has warned Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), about the dangers of “too close” cooperation with Russia and China in the military and intelligence fields, as this could damage Abu Dhabi’s relations with Washington. According to US sources, the White House has noted that the UAE leader has strengthened his ties with Moscow and Beijing, which has weakened his relationship with the United States.
However, the source also mentioned that in recent months the sheikh has sought more consultations with US officials on Russia and China and that cooperation with the US is improving. Senior Emirati officials have said that Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan does not see a close relationship with Washington as precluding ties with Moscow or Beijing.
In February, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov reported that the volume of trade between Russia and the UAE is growing and reached an all-time high last year, reaching $9 billion. However, in March, the Financial Times reported that the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom were pressuring the UAE to suspend exports to Russia of certain products that could have a military use. Washington was concerned that the UAE was becoming a hub for re-exporting goods to the Russian market, circumventing Western sanctions.
In 2022, trade between the UAE and Russia increased significantly compared to the previous year, especially in electronics and microchips. These discussions with Abu Dhabi took place at a time when the West was focusing on enforcing sanctions against Russia.