The reactions of the Gulf monarchies to the Russian invasion of Ukraine are now revealing what has been in the offing in recent years: they are decoupling themselves from the United States.

For decades it was taken for granted that the West's most important allies in the Arab world would increase their oil production when the price of oil had risen sharply.

Rainer Herman

Editor in Politics.

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But that is no longer the case.

The Gulf monarchies are not breaking away from the United States.

However, they are no longer just orienting themselves towards the East economically, but also politically.

The two most powerful rulers in the Arab world, the crown princes of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have not responded to requests from the White House in recent weeks to call President Joe Biden when he needed their help.

When Biden finally phoned Saudi King Salman, his son, Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, was there.

However, he did not join the conversation.

The Emirates on Russia's side

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Muhammad Bin Zayed, became clearer.

In a phone call on March 1, he conceded to Russian aggressor Vladimir Putin the right to "defend his national security."

Earlier on February 25, the Emirates abstained in the UN Security Council, like China and India, in the vote to condemn Russia.

For the Gulf monarchies, China is not yet a state that can guarantee their security.

However, they are counting on the economic power of China to ensure the stability of their most important energy suppliers in case of doubt.

The Emirates' best-known political scientist, Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, said shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine that there would be more China in a "post-US era in the Gulf".

Common interests with Russia

The Emirates already share important interests with Russia.

In Syria, they were the first Arab country to work to keep the dictator Bashar al-Assad in power;

on Saturday Assad visited Abu Dhabi.

In Libya, the Emirates, like Russia, fought in vain for a military victory for rebel general Khalifa Haftar.

And most recently, the oil minister of the Emirates has confirmed that the Emirates will adhere to the production quotas of the oil producers named Opec+.

Russia also belongs to this group.

Relations with the USA, on the other hand, have deteriorated.

Washington is making conditions for the delivery of the coveted F-35 stealth jet to the Emirates, which they do not want to meet.

As an indicator of how much (or how little) Washington is willing to defend the Emirates, they took the extremely cautious condemnation of the Yemeni Houthis' recent attacks on Abu Dhabi.