Has the UAE's meteoric rise reached its limit?

Join the conversation Become a member

In recent decades, Abu Dhabi has become one of the region's most assertive powers - but the geopolitical landscape is changing rapidly UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the G7 summit in Evian, France, on 16 June 2026 (Mandel Ngan/AFP) Off Few major issues in the Middle East unfold today without the UAE playing a role. From backing Egypt’s 2013 military coup, to intervening in Yemen, to supporting renegade general Khalifa Haftar in Libya and the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, the Emir