Abu Dhabi, UAE – UAE and European Union discussed ways to enhance cooperation relations in multiple issues of mutual concern including energy.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Josep Borrell, Vice-President of the European Commission, reviewed the latest developments on the regional and international arenas, including the Ukranian crisis.
Sheikh Abdullah highlighted the UAE’s keenness to strengthen its relations with the European Union and its members.
After the meeting, Borrell tweeted: “Good and insightful exchange with FM Sheikh @ABZayed on further deepening UAE-EU relationship and bringing it to strategic level. Working together, we can tackle joint challenges like global fallout from Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, climate change and regional stability.”
Europe must act immediately to prevent a shortage of natural gas next year as Russia slashes deliveries in the wake of the Ukraine war, the International Energy Agency warned a few days ago.
The IEA said the shortfall would occur if Russia stops pipelines deliveries completely and China steps up its imports of liquefied natural gas, which Europe has relied upon to replace Russian supplies.
The region could lack 30 billion cubic meters that it needs “to fuel its economy and sufficiently refill storage sites during the summer of 2023, jeopardizing its preparations for the winter of 2023-24,” the Paris-based agency said in a report.
IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said he would hold talks on Friday with several European governments.