The UAE Woos Kuwait… In Confrontation with Saudi Arabia?

Amid a strained Gulf climate, Kuwait found itself this week at the center of a lavish celebration offered by the United Arab Emirates.

The question that hovered on the margins of this scene, however, was whether this celebration was taking place within the framework of normal relations—or whether it reflected an attempt to rearrange balances within the Gulf household.

That question was raised explicitly during the Emirati–Kuwaiti Media Forum held in Kuwait on January 29. There, Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the President of the United Arab Emirates, spoke of what he described as an “unprecedented media campaign” targeting his country, one based on “fabrication, lies, falsification, and exaggeration”—a reference to commentary linking the Emirati celebration of Kuwait to differences between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.

Gargash said that “Kuwaiti restraint” reflects the strength of the relationship between the two countries, adding that differences of opinion have existed since the founding of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and that its success stemmed from its ability to transform such differences into effective economic cooperation among its member states.

The Gulf region is witnessing tension between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over disputes related to Yemen and other regional files.

The crisis in Yemen has fueled a rift between the two Gulf states. In late December, Saudi Arabia launched an attack on what it described as a shipment of Emirati weapons and equipment heading to the Southern Transitional Council at the port of Mukalla. Later, it supported an offensive that led to the collapse of the council. Subsequently, the UAE announced the withdrawal of the remainer of its troops in Yemen after nearly a decade as a major on-the-ground power.

Media Interaction and Digital Presence

During the week of Emirati celebration of Kuwait, observers of the Emirati press noted extensive media warmth toward bilateral relations. This was evident in opinion pieces and in-depth reports focusing on the strength of the relationship and the depth of historical ties between the two countries, alongside a clear a hyped media coverage of the week’s events across multiple platforms.

The Kuwaiti press did not ignore the event. Major newspapers published news coverage conveying some of the week’s activities and highlighting aspects of bilateral relations. However, this presence remained within the bounds of traditional news reporting, without a comparable surge in opinion columns or an intensive celebratory discourse, as was evident in the Emirati media.

On social media platforms, the hashtag #The_UAE_and_Kuwait_Brothers_Forever emerged as one of the most prominent manifestations of this digital celebration. At the same time, it reflected clear divergences in user attitudes. Kuwaiti lawyer Adel Dashti criticized what he viewed as an attempt on the part of Abu Dhabi to polish its image amid the Emirati–Saudi dispute, while other users from Kuwait and the UAE expressed their welcome of the campaign.

The Significance of the Emirati Celebration of Kuwait

On whether Abu Dhabi is seeking to shape a Gulf bloc comprising the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain, Kuwaiti academic and writer Ayed Manaa says that Kuwaiti–Emirati relations are neither recent nor circumstantial. Rather, they are deeply rooted historically, dating back to the pre-oil era, and continued after Kuwait’s independence in 1961, when Kuwait provided economic and media support to Gulf states, including the UAE, and contributed to establishing a media apparatus in Dubai.

Manaa notes that since the inception of the UAE, relations were further strengthened thanks to efforts by prominent leaders from both sides and were cemented through reciprocal political positions—from Kuwait’s support for the UAE in the dispute over the three islands to the UAE’s backing of Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion in 1990. He emphasizes that these relations continue to evolve through cooperation and mutual visits.

Kuwaiti political and security analyst Khaled Al-Sallal says the celebration reflects genuine Emirati appreciation for Kuwait’s balanced role and an investment in a historic bilateral relationship, within the framework of legitimate diplomatic behavior between two brotherly states.

Al-Sallal argues that this celebration does not necessarily fall within the core of Emirati–Saudi tensions. At the same time, he notes that the UAE, like other regional actors, manages its relations according to maps of influence, and that it is natural during periods of divergence with major partners to strengthen ties with balancing states and to increase praise for countries not engaged in polarization—without this implying a project to draw Kuwait into an axis opposing Saudi Arabia.

He adds that Kuwait is not a state whose positioning can be influenced by political courtesies or heated rhetoric, and that while the Emirati celebration is affected by the broader Gulf context, it does not constitute a project to recruit Kuwait against Saudi Arabia.

Kuwait’s Position on Emirati–Saudi Tensions

Regarding shared Saudi–Kuwaiti files—foremost among them the Dorra gas field—Al-Sallal stresses that this issue remains insulated from any potential crisis so long as Kuwait adheres to the joint statement with Riyadh, refrains from opening parallel channels or sending mixed messages, and does not allow the file to be politicized through third parties. In such a case, Saudi Arabia does not see a Kuwaiti repositioning, but rather a continuation of the well-known steadiness of the Kuwaiti stance.

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, on one side, and Iran, on the other, are locked in a dispute over the Dorra gas field, a shared field located in a submerged border area. Disagreements over ownership have stalled production operations.

Al-Sallal concludes that Kuwait’s political record grants it an exceptional reserve of trust in Riyadh. Kuwait has not used Gulf partnerships as leverage and has not bargained over shared sovereign files. According to him, Saudi Arabia does not assess Kuwait’s intentions based on its relations with others, but rather on its consistency with Riyadh on decisive issues—foremost among them the Dorra field—reinforcing Kuwait’s role as a balancing state rather than a state aligned with any single axis.