UK, UAE leaders discuss bilateral ties, situation in Syria

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday met United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, discussing bilateral ties as well as regional developments, including the situation in Syria.

During their meeting in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, Starmer and Al Nahyan emphasized the "long-standing and wide-ranging" partnership between the two countries.

According to a statement by Starmer's office, both leaders shared their perspectives on the evolving situation in Syria.

Bashar al-Assad fled Syria to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of the capital Damascus early Sunday, marking the collapse of the Baath Party regime, which had been in power in Syria since 1963.

"Turning to the bilateral relationship, they agreed on the untapped potential in areas such as artificial intelligence, and a joint desire to build on existing cooperation in defence and security," added the statement.

The pair also discussed a shared ambition for greater investment and trade, building on the close personal ties between the British and UAE people.

It comes during Starmer's regional tour in the region as he will also visit Saudi Arabia, where he will meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss bilateral relations and developments in the region.