Egypt, UAE, Israel Discuss Repercussions of Ukrainian Crisis

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. (WAM)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. (WAM)
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Egypt, UAE, Israel Discuss Repercussions of Ukrainian Crisis

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. (WAM)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. (WAM)

In their first tripartite meeting, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in Sharm El-Sheikh on Tuesday.

The talks addressed the repercussions of global developments, especially concerning energy, market stability, and food security.

Media and political sources said that the meeting also included a discussion of Iranian influence.

Sheikh Mohammed and Bennett arrived in Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday, and each held a bilateral meeting with Sisi, according to Emirati and Israeli media, followed by the tripartite meeting.

Egyptian presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said the tripartite meeting tackled the repercussions of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, especially its impact on energy and food security.

The official Emirates News Agency (WAM) said the meeting discussed ways of "enhancing relations between the three countries, and the importance of cooperation and coordination to drive development and enhance stability in the region and bolstering global energy security and market stability."

The meeting came about a month after Russia invaded Ukraine, which caused a significant hike in oil prices amid security concerns in several countries.

Egypt is facing significant challenges in energy and food security after the war in Ukraine put pressure on emerging market economies, which prompted Cairo to devalue the currency by 14 percent. Moscow and Kyiv are Egypt's leading two wheat suppliers.

The war also led to a decline in Egypt's tourism revenues from Russia and Ukraine to the Red Sea resorts.

The tripartite meeting also expressed the political desire to address security issues, namely the escalation by the Iran-backed Houthi militias in the region and the related negative repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and post-crisis arrangements.

They addressed the outcomes of the Iranian nuclear agreement talks and their impact on various political and security matters.

International relations and regional security expert Iman Zahran told Asharq Al-Awsat several indicators favor establishing tripartite cooperation and economic coalitions, most notably concerning the Egyptian-Israeli partnership in energy and the commercial partnership between the three countries.

In Tel Aviv, the tripartite meeting was announced a day in advance, but the government did not comment.

Bennett's office issued an official statement about the visit, noting that Sisi accompanied him to the airport.

The statement read that the PM met with Sisi and Sheikh Mohammed, noting that "against the backdrop of the recent developments in the world and the region, the leaders discussed the ties between the three countries and ways to strengthen them on all levels."

The visit is Bennett's second to Egypt. His first was in September last year.

Political sources in Tel Aviv stressed the importance of Bennett spending his night in Egypt for the first time in many years.

According to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, the tripartite meeting is part of Israeli orchestrated attempts to impose a blockade on Iran, which comprises all regional powers, including Turkey, backed by the US.



Saudi Arabia to Host Multinational ‘Spears of Victory 2026’ Military Exercise

The exercise will run from January 18 to February 5. SPA
The exercise will run from January 18 to February 5. SPA
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Saudi Arabia to Host Multinational ‘Spears of Victory 2026’ Military Exercise

The exercise will run from January 18 to February 5. SPA
The exercise will run from January 18 to February 5. SPA

The Spears of Victory 2026 military exercise, led by the Royal Saudi Air Force, is set to begin on Sunday at the Air Warfare Center in the Eastern Region.

The exercise will run from January 18 to February 5, featuring broad regional and international participation and highlighting ongoing efforts to strengthen military cooperation and joint operational integration.

The exercise will integrate branches of Saudi Arabia’s armed forces, the Ministry of National Guard, the Presidency of State Security, and the Unified Military Command of the Gulf Cooperation Council, alongside military forces from several countries.

The exercise aims to enhance combat readiness, foster the exchange of expertise in planning and execution, and unify the concept of joint military action among participating forces. It will focus on addressing current and emerging threats, advancing tactical capabilities, and promoting joint operational strategies.

Participating forces will execute joint and combined tactical operations designed to simulate current and emerging threats and to unify the concept of multi-domain joint air operations in an advanced electronic warfare environment.

The Air Warfare Center is one of the region’s most advanced training facilities, providing a sophisticated environment that simulates real operational conditions and supports the development and evaluation of combat capabilities.


Saudi Arabia: King Salman Undergoes Medical Tests

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA
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Saudi Arabia: King Salman Undergoes Medical Tests

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is undergoing medical tests on Friday at King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh, the Kingdom's Royal Court said.

“May Allah protect the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and grant him continued health and well-being,” the Court added.


Saudi Arabia Provides New $90 Million Support to Yemen’s Government Budget

Mohammed Al Jaber, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen (Photo : X) 
Mohammed Al Jaber, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen (Photo : X) 
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Saudi Arabia Provides New $90 Million Support to Yemen’s Government Budget

Mohammed Al Jaber, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen (Photo : X) 
Mohammed Al Jaber, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen (Photo : X) 

Mohammed Al Jaber, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen, announced on Thursday that the Kingdom has provided new financial support to Yemen’s government budget to cover the payment of salaries for state employees, pursuant to directives from the Saudi leadership.

In a post on the social media platform X, Al Jaber said the support comes in addition to the development projects and initiatives announced on Wednesday in several sectors.

These include the provision of petroleum products to operate power plants, aimed at improving the living conditions of the Yemeni people, as well as support for the government’s efforts to implement an economic reform program to achieve financial and economic stability.

The Saudi ambassador also stated that salaries for all military and security forces affiliated with the Supreme Military Committee will be paid by the Saudi-led Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, starting on Sunday.

Al Jaber noted that these measures are expected to have a significant impact on society and on Yemen’s economy, which he said will receive substantial support from the Kingdom in the coming period.

Meanwhile, Yemeni Prime Minister Salem bin Breik said on Thursday that the new and urgent financial support from Saudi Arabia, totaling $90 million, reflects the Kingdom’s sincere fraternal stance and its continued commitment to supporting the Yemeni people, easing their humanitarian and living hardships, strengthening economic and financial stability, and ensuring the regular payment of salaries, which the government considers its highest priority.

In a statement to the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), bin Breik affirmed that the government, in full coordination with the Central Bank of Yemen, will immediately begin taking the necessary steps to ensure the swift disbursement of salaries to eligible public sector employees through transparent and responsible mechanisms that enhance confidence in financial and monetary institutions.

The prime minister praised Saudi Arabia’s leading role, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in supporting constitutional legitimacy and backing government efforts at the political, economic, and humanitarian levels. He said the support reflects the depth of fraternal relations and the shared destiny between the two countries.

Bin Breik added that the government continues to implement its economic and financial reform program, improve the efficiency of public resource management, and work with brotherly nations and international partners to improve economic conditions and restore monetary stability.