Gulf leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, convened with European heads of state in Brussels on Wednesday for summit discussions aimed at easing the “extremely dangerous escalation” in the Middle East.
The 27-member European Union seeks closer collaboration with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—to address conflicts in both the Middle East and Ukraine.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, in her opening remarks, emphasized that “Russia’s war against Ukraine and the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7 have significantly jeopardized regional security in Europe and the Gulf.” She stressed the need to utilize all diplomatic resources to avert further escalation, particularly with Iran’s recent ballistic missile attacks on Israel and Houthi assaults on maritime vessels, while calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.
Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, remarked, “We need a settlement for these conflicts,” expressing hope that this inaugural summit would strengthen the historic ties between the GCC and the EU.
Although the EU is the GCC’s second-largest trading partner, negotiations on a trade agreement have stalled for years. While opinions on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine vary—particularly regarding Western sanctions and the EU’s stance on Iran’s support for Moscow—there remains potential for enhanced cooperation in this area.