UAE president, Senator Lindsey Graham discuss regional security

ABU DHABI –UAE’s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed received on Wednesday US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham in Abu Dhabi, in a meeting that underscored the longstanding friendship and strategic partnership between the two countries.

The encounter, held at Qasr Al Shati, focused on strengthening UAE-US co-operation, regional security, and efforts to promote peace and stability across the Middle East, according to the state news agency WAM. Senior Emirati officials were also present during the discussions, highlighting the significance both sides place on the partnership.

The meeting coincided with the start of the holy month of Ramadan. Sheikh Mohamed extended warm greetings in a message on X, writing: “With the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan, I extend my sincere best wishes to the people of the UAE and across the world. Ramadan is a time for reflection and generosity, and an opportunity to strengthen bonds within families and communities.”

Senator Graham, in turn, used the occasion to counter social media speculation that had emerged earlier in the week regarding Sheikh Mohamed’s health. The rumours followed Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan postponing a planned visit to Abu Dhabi, coupled with a now-deleted social media post claiming the Emirati leader had a “health problem.”

Writing on X, Graham described his one-and-a-half-hour meeting with Sheikh Mohamed as productive and dismissed those spreading misinformation. He said: “Those perpetuating false narratives against the United Arab Emirates and President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed are full of it.”

Photographs and video released by WAM showed the UAE president and senior officials engaging with the US senator, underlining the substantive nature of their discussions. The state agency reported that both leaders addressed developments in the region and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing peace in the Middle East.

The meeting reinforces the UAE’s ongoing diplomatic outreach with key international partners and highlights Sheikh Mohamed’s continued engagement on regional security, even amid circulating rumours.

Analysts said the talks serve both to bolster the strategic partnership with the United States and to send a clear signal of the UAE’s stable leadership during a period of heightened regional attention.