Biden Recognizes UAE’s Defense Role, Pushes for Urgent Aid to Gaza
President Joe Biden officially recognized the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a major defense partner of the United States on Monday following high-level talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The designation, which India is the only other country to hold, will enable enhanced military cooperation between the two nations, including joint training, exercises, and collaborative defense efforts.
The announcement came after Biden and Al Nahyan met to discuss the escalating war in Gaza and broader instability in the Middle East. In a joint statement, both leaders called for “urgent, unhindered” humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza and expressed their commitment to pursuing a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Biden also addressed the latest developments in Lebanon, where Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed at least 492 people on Monday, according to Lebanese officials. “My team is in constant contact with their counterparts, and we’re working to de-escalate in a way that allows people to return to their home safely,” Biden said.
The joint statement also highlighted the UAE’s involvement in the Sudan conflict, with both leaders emphasizing that there is no military solution to the ongoing war, which has resulted in the world’s largest displacement crisis. They further underscored plans to deepen cooperation in areas such as space exploration, clean energy, and artificial intelligence, areas in which the UAE has ambitious initiatives that have attracted attention from US geopolitical rival China.
