The UAE intends to purchase 50 U.S. F-35 fighter aircraft. Photo: USAF
Citing a U.S. State Department spokesperson, Sputnik radio reported: “While we will not comment on ongoing lawsuits, we can confirm the authorities intend to expedite the arms deal for the UAE. We will continue to discuss the deal in detail with UAE officials to ensure the two sides understand each other.”
Earlier, in January 2021, Washington halted the sale of F-35 fighters to the UAE and ammunition to Saudi Arabia after reviewing arms deals under former President Donald Trump. President Biden reversed his predecessor’s decision the day before he took office and reinstated a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imported from the UAE.
Observers speculate President Trump’s administration used the F-35 deal with the UAE to normalize relations with Israel. In September 2020, two Gulf countries – the UAE and Bahrain – signed a historic agreement establishing diplomatic relations with the American Jewish nation as an intermediary. However, UAE officials say the cooperation with Israel is driven entirely by a desire to prevent “annexed action,” alluding to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to apply sovereignty over much of the Palestinian territory in the West Bank.
Reacting to president Biden’s decision to “freeze” the arms deal in January, UAE Ambassador to the U.S. Yousef al-Otaiba called it a completely understandable action because the Biden administration must follow due to the UAE-U.S. deal being one of the world’s largest arms deals worth up to $23 billion.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), in 2020, UAE arms imports have decreased by 37%.
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