The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expressed its desire to host negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, potentially culminating in a peace summit between Russian President
Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
According to five individuals, speaking on condition of anonymity, the UAE has positioned itself as a key mediator in the ongoing conflict and has proposed hosting discussions to U.S. officials. Three of these sources, based in the U.S. and UAE, stated that Emirati officials suggested the Gulf nation as the venue for a “peace summit,” with two of them indicating that the event could eventually bring together Putin and Zelenskiy.
A fourth source, with ties to former U.S. President Donald Trump, noted that the UAE is a strong contender to host Trump’s anticipated meeting with Putin. However, the Kremlin has yet to make a decision on the matter.
When approached for comment, the White House referred to Trump’s remarks from Wednesday. The UAE’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for a statement.
Trump, who assumed office on January 20, separately discussed the conflict with both Putin and Zelenskiy on Wednesday. However, his diplomatic efforts may already be complicated by his defense secretary’s recent statements suggesting potential concessions to Russia. European leaders, wary of being sidelined, are also seeking involvement in any negotiations.
Meanwhile, Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met at the White House on Thursday, underscoring broader geopolitical discussions. Despite Modi offering to reduce tariffs on U.S. goods and increase imports of American oil, gas, and even F-35 fighter jets, trade tensions between the two nations persist.
UAE’s unique geopolitical position
As a top oil producer with substantial international investments, the UAE occupies a distinctive geopolitical role. The Gulf nation is a key security partner of the U.S. and hosts American military forces while maintaining strong relations with Moscow and Kyiv. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the UAE has facilitated multiple prisoner exchanges between the two nations, along with Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
A competitive race to host peace talks
The UAE is one of several nations vying to host potential peace talks. Serbia and Switzerland both expressed interest earlier in January, while the Wall Street Journal reported that China had privately proposed hosting a Trump-Putin meeting.
Over the past decade, the UAE, alongside Saudi Arabia and Qatar, has taken on an increasingly significant role in global diplomacy. The country strengthened its ties with Trump during his first presidency, particularly by becoming the first Arab state in decades to establish diplomatic relations with Israel under the 2020 U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords—a key foreign policy achievement of Trump’s administration.
However, the UAE’s relationship with Russia has at times frustrated Western officials, particularly during Joe Biden’s presidency, which sought to isolate Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine. While Russian wealth has flowed into the UAE due to Western sanctions on Moscow, the Gulf state has also condemned the invasion, signed a free-trade agreement with Ukraine, and provided humanitarian aid to the war-torn nation.
Emirati officials argue that their ability to maintain diplomatic ties with a diverse range of global players allows them to act as mediators in situations where others cannot. During an October visit to Moscow, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan assured Putin that the Gulf nation was ready to help mediate a resolution to the conflict. A month earlier, Sheikh Mohamed met with Trump in Florida ahead of the U.S. presidential election.
Other regional challenges
The UAE’s bid to mediate in Ukraine comes amid separate accusations of involvement in fueling the conflict in Sudan. A United Nations report cited "credible" allegations that the UAE provided arms to Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The Gulf nation, however, has denied any military support to Sudan’s warring factions.
In early January, the U.S. determined that members of the RSF and its allied militias had committed genocide in Sudan, further complicating the geopolitical landscape for the UAE as it attempts to position itself as a peacemaker in global conflicts. Photo by Ghania0007, Wikimedia commons.