Su-35, S-400… Saudi Arabia puts pressure on Washington

On January 28, just a few days after his swearing in, American President Joe Biden announced that he would suspend American support for the military intervention in Yemen led by the coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. . At the same time, several arms contracts, notably concerning guided bombs for Riad and the acquisition of F35 and MQ9B Gardian by Abu Dhabi, were also suspended. Even if the presidential decision was surrounded by a diplomatic context, explaining that it was for the new administration to examine these contracts, some of which were signed barely an hour before the end of his presidential term by Donald Trump , it marked a certain distrust between Washington and its allies in the Middle East.

The response from the UAE authorities has, until now, been measured, not seeking to stir up certain differences, notably on the recent acquisition by Abu Dhabi of drones from Beijing, and Pantsir anti-aircraft defense systems from Moscow. . For Riad, on the other hand, annoyance is clearly emerging. Indeed, according to the CEO of the Russian arms giant Rostec, Sergei Chemezov, speaking in an interview given to the Russian channel Russia Today, the company is in negotiations with the Saudi authorities concerning the acquisition of S-400 anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems, but also Su-35s heavy fighters , even if these negotiations are discreet and nothing will be detailed before a contract is signed.

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