Politics
Politics UAE
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Conducts Intensive Diplomatic Round at G7 Summit in Evian, Reaffirming Commitment to Global Stability.

Lead:

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, participated in the 52nd G7 Summit hosted by France in Evian, engaging in a series of high-level bilateral meetings with world leaders. The engagements covered regional developments, strategic partnerships, and global peace efforts, positioning the UAE as an active diplomatic player at one of the world's most consequential annual gatherings.

Details:

According to Al Khaleej and Newsd, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed held bilateral talks on the summit's sidelines with United States President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, European Council President Antonio Costa, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Discussions spanned bilateral relations, strategic cooperation frameworks, and regional and international security developments.

Al Khaleej reports that Trump praised Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed in notably warm terms, describing him as a "warrior who is brave," and characterizing the UAE as a "great country." Newsd further notes that the meeting between the UAE president and the Indian prime minister focused specifically on strengthening cooperation within the framework of their comprehensive strategic partnership, a relationship that has expanded significantly across trade, technology, and energy sectors.

On the European front, Al Khaleej and Newsd both report that talks with von der Leyen and Costa addressed ongoing UAE-European Union strategic partnership negotiations. Following the meeting, von der Leyen publicly stated that the discussions had illuminated new opportunities to deepen UAE-EU relations. Separately, Al Khaleej reports that Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed also received a phone call from Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, during which both sides discussed bilateral cooperation and regional developments.

On the Gaza file, Al Khaleej reports that the UAE participated in the second edition of the Paris Call for a Two-State Solution, led by a delegation headed by Minister Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, reaffirming the country's commitment to a peace plan for Gaza. Separately, Newsd reports that the UAE's diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash pushed back against former Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, insisting that any future regional arrangement must not overlook what Gargash described as Iranian aggression, calling it a fundamental and non-negotiable factor in any viable security architecture.

Watch For:

Whether the UAE-EU strategic partnership negotiations reach a formal milestone following the positive signals exchanged at the G7 summit.

The trajectory of UAE-US engagement under the Trump administration, particularly on Gaza mediation and regional security arrangements, given the notably personal tone of the Trump-Mohamed bin Zayed meeting.

How Gargash's pointed remarks on Iranian aggression factor into broader Gulf diplomatic positioning as regional security talks continue.

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