US Top Diplomat Rubio Visits UAE on Final Leg of Middle East Tour

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday for the final leg of his first Middle East tour, following significant discussions with Russian officials in Riyadh. Rubio’s visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to include high-level meetings with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The visit comes after Rubio led a US delegation in a rare round of talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Tuesday. The discussions, which focused on a range of international concerns, notably included efforts to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Rubio’s trip to the UAE also comes ahead of a key summit in Saudi Arabia on Friday, bringing together leaders from the six-state Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), along with Egypt and Jordan, to discuss US President Donald Trump's post-war Gaza plan.

The Trump administration, opposed to any future role for Hamas in Gaza, has asked Arab nations, which oppose the displacement of Palestinians from the region, to present alternatives to the US president's plan. Trump’s proposal includes placing Gaza under US control and relocating its 2.4 million residents to neighboring Jordan and Egypt.

During his visit to Saudi Arabia on Monday, Rubio met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, stressing the importance of a Gaza arrangement that would contribute to regional security.

Earlier in the tour, Rubio met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Sunday, where he reiterated strong US support for Israel and gave the green light for the country's actions in Gaza, where a fragile ceasefire had taken effect on January 19.