In a notable move reflecting growing U.S. interest in maintaining cohesion among Gulf partnerships, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has put forward an initiative aimed at encouraging dialogue between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to resolve their differences over several regional issues, most notably Yemen and Sudan.
Graham made the public reference to his initiative in a post on Friday following a meeting in Riyadh with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, after a visit he had made to Abu Dhabi.
Graham, a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, said he had held a “friendly, lengthy, and highly important meeting” with the Saudi crown prince, expressing hope that dialogue between Saudi Arabia and the UAE would begin “as soon as possible” regarding their disagreements over Yemen and Sudan.
The senator did not provide further details on the nature of the disputes or the form such dialogue might take, nor did he announce a specific timeline. No official statements were issued by Riyadh or Abu Dhabi directly addressing Graham’s initiative.
Graham’s efforts come at a time of heightened regional tensions, amid increasing indications of a possible U.S. military strike against Iran. They coincide with repeated U.S. assertions that stability among Gulf allies is a key component of any comprehensive approach to regional security and coordination in confronting Iran.
Tom Warrick, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of homeland security, says there is broad awareness in Washington of the sensitivity of this issue.
“Everyone in Washington wants this dispute resolved. Officials are aware of the policy differences and the personalities behind this divide, but Washington views both the UAE and Saudi Arabia as allies and essential partners in military, economic, and security cooperation,” Warrick told Alhurra.
The differences between the two countries began late last year over developments in Yemen but quickly expanded to include other areas and countries, among them Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, and the Red Sea.
In Yemen, Saudi Arabia supports the internationally recognized government against the Houthis. The UAE played a central role in the Saudi-led military coalition starting in 2015, but disagreements over internal arrangements and conditions in Yemen emerged in recent months, ultimately leading to the UAE’s withdrawal.
In Sudan, mutual accusations have intensified among regional actors over the nature of support being provided to the warring parties. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have not announced a direct dispute over Sudan, but the issue has become an arena for competing regional influence.
In posts on the platform X, Graham said he left his meeting with the Saudi crown prince with a clear impression that Riyadh remains committed to Vision 2030 and to a path of economic openness.
He also addressed broader issues, including strengthening U.S.–Saudi military and economic cooperation, and pointed to his vision of a regional future in which Iran’s influence declines.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have long been linked by close ties in politics, economics, and security. This has been evident in coordination within the Gulf Cooperation Council and in shared positions on a range of regional issues.
At the same time, recent years have seen divergences on certain matters, including oil production policies within the OPEC+ alliance. Disagreements emerged in 2021 over production levels and quotas. More recently, Saudi Arabia announced economic policies encouraging global companies to relocate their regional headquarters to the kingdom, a move widely interpreted as intensifying economic competition between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.
Commenting on the growing differences between the two countries, President Trump said on Tuesday – one day before Graham’s visit to Abu Dhabi – that he had not become involved in the dispute but “would do so” and could “easily resolve it.”
Against this backdrop, observers believe Graham’s visits to Saudi Arabia and the UAE may represent an initial step in a broader U.S. effort to find a way to end the disagreement.
In this context, Robert Mogielnicki, a nonresident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, notes that President Trump wields influence in the Gulf, “although it is unclear how or whether he will seek to intervene in this aspect of Saudi–Emirati relations.”
“Trump may attempt to apply pressure to reach some form of resolution, or he may see an opportunity to push for greater bilateral economic cooperation with the United States,” Mogielnicki told Alhurra.
Graham had earlier praised, in a post on X following his meeting with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the role Abu Dhabi plays in the region. He also referred to his visit to Riyadh without explicitly mentioning any initiative to resolve the dispute, limiting his remarks to saying that “only time will tell what happens.”
All of these contacts, however, leave the central question unanswered: what are the chances that Graham’s efforts will translate into an actual political process leading to a resolution of the crisis?
“It is highly likely that President Trump will leave the two leading Gulf powers to work things out on their own. I believe that managing tensions will primarily manifest in the economic sphere, as this is the most probable future scenario,” Mogielnicki said.
The article is a translation of the original Arabic.
Ghassan Taqi
A journalist specializing in Iraqi affairs, he has worked with the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) since 2015. He previously spent several years with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, as well as various Iraqi and Arab media outlets.
