Experts in the News

Amid shifting relations with the United States, the UAE is reestablishing foreign alliances, "trying to diversify," said Middle East fellow Kristian Coates Ulrichsen. "There's a perception now in Abu Dhabi that the UAE can't be fighting fires everywhere."

"Perceptions matter," said Middle East fellow Kristian Coates Ulrichsen of the U.S. decision to pull missile defenses from Saudi Arabia. "From the Saudi point of view, they now see Obama, Trump and Biden — three successive presidents — taking decisions that signify to some extent an abandonment."

"Whatever diplomacy is intended will involve Qatar in some way as a facilitator and mediator to keep dialogue open with the political leadership as the world waits to see what type of regime emerges in Kabul,” said Middle East fellow Kristian Coates Ulrichsen.

In the months before his murder, Khashoggi had "a sense of regret about the direction things were going in, and ... disillusionment, because at the end of the day, he saw himself as a Saudi patriot," said Middle East fellow Kristian Coates Ulrichsen. 

Changes in domestic politics have propelled UAE crown prince Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan into unrivaled leadership of the seven-emirate state. “He’s pursued an almost ‘zero tolerance’ approach. He wants to eliminate threats before they even begin to have an impact," said Middle East fellow Kristian Coates Ulrichsen.