US or Russia? Ukraine Crisis Poses Dilemma For Wealthy Gulf
NDTV
Middle East experts say their reticence is understandable given what's at play -- energy, money and security.
Choosing sides in Ukraine's crisis would have once been easy for Gulf states long protected by the US, but growing ties with Moscow are forcing them to strike a balance.
As the world rushed to condemn the Russian invasion of its smaller neighbour, the wealthy Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have largely kept quiet.
Middle East experts say their reticence is understandable given what's at play -- energy, money and security.
"It is not only the economic ties that are growing, but also the security ties of these states with Moscow," said Anne Gadel, a Gulf expert and contributor to the French think-tank Institut Montaigne.
