Evian (France): The United Arab Emirates (UAE) took centre stage in President Donald Trump’s Middle East diplomacy at the G7 Summit, with Trump praising UAE President Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and expressing confidence that a newly signed agreement with Iran would ease regional tensions and help stabilise global energy markets.
Trump met the UAE leader on the sidelines of the summit in France, describing the relationship between the two countries as “outstanding” during a bilateral meeting that lasted less than 15 minutes.
The meeting came hours after Trump held discussions with the Emir of Qatar and participated in meetings involving G7 and Middle Eastern leaders, with the newly announced Iran agreement dominating conversations throughout the day.
Speaking alongside Mohammed Bin Zayed, Trump said the agreement was already producing tangible results.
“We just signed a deal with Iran. Ships are starting to move now… oil is starting to go and prices are coming down rapidly,” Trump said.
“Most importantly Iran will not have a nuclear weapon.”
The US President said he would wait until later in the week before publicly releasing the text of the agreement.
“I would like to get a formal setting first,” Trump said.
“I will go over the document with the media.”
The discussion also touched on the future of the Abraham Accords and prospects for broader Arab participation.
Asked whether additional Arab countries could join the framework, Trump praised the UAE President, whose country was among the first signatories.
“This is a man who is very advanced,” Trump said.
He added that he believed more countries would eventually join.
“I think they will all start coming in.”
Trump also suggested he would be willing to submit the agreement to Congress for review, while dismissing criticism from some lawmakers.
“What I would like to do is send it to congress and say you shouldn’t approve it. And they will approve it,” he said, drawing laughter from those present.
The UAE President spoke briefly, thanking Trump for his support. His remarks prompted a light-hearted exchange from the US president.
“See when you’re that rich you can speak that low,” Trump joked, generating laughter in the room.
The bilateral followed a broader working lunch involving G7 leaders and Middle Eastern counterparts.
Trump spent time speaking with Mohammed Bin Zayed before also engaging with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and European Council President Antonio Costa.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi later entered the gathering and greeted Trump personally, with French President Emmanuel Macron joining the exchange.
Leaders discussed the FIFA World Cup and other informal topics. Trump also spoke about a planned UFC event at the White House and praised UFC president Dana White.
Earlier in the day, Trump met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, where he again defended the Iran agreement and warned Tehran against violating its terms.
“They will not develop, purchase or buy a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
“If they do all hell will break loose.”
He also praised Qatar’s role in regional affairs, saying: “We are very impressed with Qatar and how they handled things.”
The UAE has emerged as one of Washington’s closest security and economic partners in the Gulf and was a key participant in the Abraham Accords signed in 2020. The agreements normalised relations between Israel and several Arab states and reshaped regional diplomacy.
(IANS)
