UAE suspends talks on $23 billion weapons deal with US – By Nomaan Merchant (AP) / December 14, 2021
WASHINGTON — The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday suspended talks on a $23 billion deal to purchase American-made F-35 jets, armed drones and other equipment, in a rare dispute between Washington and a key U.S. ally in the Persian Gulf.
The Emirati embassy in Washington said it would “suspend discussions” with the U.S., though meetings at the Pentagon this week between the two sides on other matters will move forward as planned.
“The U.S. remains the UAE’s preferred provider for advanced defense requirements and discussions for the F-35 may be re-opened in the future,” the embassy said in a statement.
The proposed sale of 50 F-35s to the UAE came at the end of former President Donald Trump’s administration, emerging from a deal that saw the Emiratis formally recognize Israel. President Joe Biden’s administration put the deal on hold after he took office, in part due to criticism of the UAE and Saudi Arabia over their yearslong war in Yemen, which has sparked one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises and continues today.
