Ukraine war accentuates monarchies’ tricky relations with western powers

The reluctance of Saudi Arabia and the UAE to join western efforts to build an anti-Russia coalition and stabilise volatile energy markets brings into sharp focus the trend over recent years for the US to scale back its interest in the Gulf and for GCC states to seek other partners. As Putin’s war continues, all sides may need to recalibrate their perceptions and their policy positions to accommodate a global realignment of forces.