Signs of a Saudi UAE Thaw grew stronger on Tuesday when Saudi Arabia’s defence minister invited the UAE Vice President for a face-to-face meeting. This marks the first public invitation of its kind since the two Gulf powers clashed openly over Yemen last December.
Prince Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Defence, extended the invitation to Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Presidential Court. The defence ministry announced the invitation on X, describing the UAE as a sisterly nation and referring to Sheikh Mansour as his brother. The visit is scheduled for Tuesday itself, signalling a clear desire to move past recent tensions.
The gesture follows warmer public messages exchanged in July. At that time, senior officials and ministers from both countries posted about friendship and unity on social media. Saudi General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Alalshikh even shared a photo of Prince Khalid alongside Sheikh Mansour, noting it had been taken only days earlier. Those posts were widely seen as the first public signs that the two sides wanted to repair their relationship.
The timing of the invitation is notable. Saudi Arabia has faced weeks of intense Houthi attacks on its tankers, oil facilities, airports and even the capital. The Iran-backed group has also seized control of large stretches of the Red Sea coast previously held by Saudi-backed forces. In response, Riyadh has been seeking stronger international support. Yemeni leaders have reportedly asked the United States for help, and the Saudi crown prince is said to have spoken with President Donald Trump again over the weekend. Military chiefs from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan also met on Friday to discuss ways to assist Riyadh.
The December fallout began when Saudi Arabia accused the UAE of threatening its national security by backing southern Yemeni separatists. The two countries have also backed opposing sides in Sudan and the Horn of Africa. Yet the latest invitation and earlier July messages suggest both sides now see value in closer coordination, especially as regional security challenges mount.
Whether this meeting leads to lasting cooperation remains to be seen, but the public olive branch from Riyadh clearly points to a growing Saudi UAE Thaw after months of strain.
