Last month, the European Union held a summit in Brussels with six Gulf states for the first time. “We are breaking new ground by viewing each other as strategic partners,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the opening. The Chairman of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Emir of Qatar, Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, highlighted shared economic interests and international law as the foundation of their relations. However, significant differences emerged during negotiations for a joint declaration, resulting in a heavily watered-down final statement.
On the European side, most heads of state and government attended, though German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was absent. Saudi Arabia was represented by Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, who had previously been avoided as a discussion partner due to his involvement in the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Bahrain and Kuwait were represented by their prime ministers, while the United Arab Emirates and Oman sent only deputies to Brussels. The meeting was initiated by the outgoing Council President Charles Michel.
The main substantive disagreements involved Ukraine. According to a draft circulated in Brussels, all states were called upon to stop supporting Russia and to condemn Iran for supplying ballistic missiles and drones. However, the Gulf states also sought to include a call to stop arms supplies to Ukraine — which was unacceptable for the EU. They also insisted on removing a passage about further curbing the circumvention of sanctions against Russia, with Dubai’s port playing a central role in these concerns.
There were also differing views on the Middle East conflict. Both sides did call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon and supported a two-state solution. However, Al Thani urged EU countries to recognize Palestine as a state now and to act against Israel’s “war crimes.” “There should be no double standards,” he said. There is, however, no unified stance on this in the EU. Conversely, four of the six Gulf states have not yet recognized Israel.
Alongside global issues, the talks were intended to address energy policy, climate goals, and trade policy. Negotiations for a joint free trade zone had failed long ago, and since then, the EU has pursued bilateral agreements. The Gulf states are divided on this issue. While Saudi Arabia prefers a regional agreement, the UAE is pushing for a bilateral deal. Its citizens can already travel to the EU visa-free, while the other five countries are still waiting for such a privilege.
The relationship is based on a cooperation agreement from 1989 that established a joint council at the foreign minister level. In June 2022, EU states agreed on a goal of a strategic partnership with the Gulf states. At the end of that year, a bribery scandal in the European Parliament involving Qatar became public, and criminal investigations are still ongoing. However, this affair was not intended to be a topic at the Brussels meeting. “We feel less affected by it,” said a senior EU official.
