US announces readiness to complete F-35 deals with Emirates

On Thursday, US defence department spokesman John Kirby remarked that Washington is open to completing the F-35 deal with the United Arab Emirates, but that it "will not negotiate its terms". The deal includes 50 F-35 fighters, 18 MQ9 drones, air-to-air missiles and air-to-ground missiles, worth more than $23 billion. This was also stated a day earlier by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who expressed US readiness to go ahead with the deal "if the Emirates is still willing".

These statements come days after the UAE announced the suspension of negotiations on the deal as "onerous on the United States". The UAE considered Washington's security requirements to protect high-tech Chinese spy weapons to be too costly and to jeopardise national sovereignty.

John Kirby referred to a visit by US Defence Secretary Louis Austin to the UAE, emphasising the Persian Gulf country's contributions to regional security and its assistance to the US in evacuating Afghanistan last August. "The UAE has been a key partner in this effort and continues to be a key partner in many other efforts. They were operational for the joint military dialogue and this evidence of partnership remains strong," Kirby said, referring to the latest visit of an Emirati delegation to Washington on Wednesday.

This Emirati visit to the US Department of Defence was primarily to attend the annual Joint Military Dialogue. At this dialogue, the two countries affirmed their commitment to a "strong bilateral defence relationship" and agreed on "the importance of the US-AEU strategic partnership as a partnership based on common interests and priorities," according to the communiqué.

In this regard, the two sides discussed "Iranian threats", as well as opportunities to expand cooperation with Israel's entry into the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility, air and missile security issues, and counter-terrorism.

This new predisposition comes days after an Emirati minister informed Washington that discussions on the F-35 deal had been suspended. The Emirati decision came days after the Gulf state agreed to buy 80 Rafale fighter jets from France in a deal worth 14 billion euros during a visit by Emmanuel Macron to the Gulf state. The official added that "technical requirements and operational constraints of a sovereign nature and cost-benefit led to a re-evaluation".