UAE, Syria Foreign Ministers Discuss Bolstering Ties on UAE visit

A handout photo made available by the Emirates News Agency (WAM) shows United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani (L) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 06 January 2025. (WAM)
A handout photo made available by the Emirates News Agency (WAM) shows United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani (L) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 06 January 2025. (WAM)
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UAE, Syria Foreign Ministers Discuss Bolstering Ties on UAE visit

A handout photo made available by the Emirates News Agency (WAM) shows United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani (L) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 06 January 2025. (WAM)
A handout photo made available by the Emirates News Agency (WAM) shows United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani (L) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 06 January 2025. (WAM)

UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed bolstering "brotherly" ties with Syria during the first official visit by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani to the United Arab Emirates on Monday, Emirati state news agency WAM reported.

The two ministers also discussed the overall developments in Syria since former President Bashar al-Assad was ousted by opposition factions on Dec. 8.

The UAE's foreign minister reiterated the country's support for Syria's independence and sovereignty, WAM added.

Syria's Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra, head of intelligence Anas Khattab and the UAE's minister of state for defense affairs, Mohammed Fadel al-Mazrouei, also attended the meeting.

The UAE is part of Shibani's second foreign tour, which earlier took him to Qatar and will also include a visit to Jordan. He said the visits aim to "support stability, security, economic recovery and build distinguished partnerships", according to his account on X.

Shibani made his first foreign trip to Saudi Arabia last week, where Saudi officials discussed how best to support Syria's political transition.



Trump Says he Would Probably Meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump speaks as Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump speaks as Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)
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Trump Says he Would Probably Meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump speaks as Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump speaks as Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)

US President Donald has said that he would “probably” meet in person with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the near term, suggesting that could happen in Saudi Arabia.

Trump said on Wednesday that he and Putin had agreed to begin negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine.

Trump said he spent more than an hour on the phone with Putin and “I think we’re on the way to getting peace." He noted that he later spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, but he was noncommittal about whether Ukraine would be an equal participant in US negotiations with Russia.
“I think President Putin wants peace and President Zelenskiy wants peace and I want peace," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I just want to see people stop being killed.”

Of his conversation with Putin, Trump said, “People didn’t really know what President Putin’s thoughts were. But I think I can say with great confidence, he wants to see it ended also, so that’s good — and we’re going to work toward getting it ended and as fast as possible.”

In a post on his social media platform, he said Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, national security adviser Michael Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff would lead negotiations on ending the war.

Zelenskiy's office said the conversation with Trump lasted for about an hour.
"I had a meaningful conversation with @POTUS. We... talked about opportunities to achieve peace, discussed our readiness to work together ...and Ukraine's technological capabilities... including drones and other advanced industries," Zelenskiy wrote on X.
No Ukraine peace talks have been held since the early months of the conflict, now approaching its third anniversary.