US, UK and European Union officials are planning to jointly pressure the United Arab Emirates this week to stop supplying goods to Russia that could help Moscow in its war against Ukraine.
Reuters reported this, quoting American and European officials.
According to media reports, officials from Washington and European capitals visited the UAE on 4 September to ensure that Russia does not receive computer chips, electronic components and other so-called dual-use products with civilian and military applications, Reuters writes.
A UAE official, in response to Reuters’ request for comment, stated that his country “strictly abides by UN sanctions and has clear and robust processes in place to deal with sanctioned entities.”
The Wall Street Journal report said that officials from the US and the EU were visiting the UAE this week as part of a coordinated global push to keep computer chips, electronic components and other so-called dual-use products out of Russia’s reach.
In August, it was reported that Russian airlines purchased $1.2 billion worth of spare parts from May 2022 to June this year despite the sanctions imposed on Russia.
The purchased equipment included parts necessary to maintain the aircraft in airworthy condition (devices from the US company Northrop Grumman, cockpit pressure valves, landing gear).
At the end of August, Reuters journalists discovered that the spare parts were delivered to Russia through intermediary companies in many countries, including the UAE.
Reuters reported that the UAE was profiting from sanctions by becoming Russia’s centre for gold trading in May.
UAE is a member of the OPEC+ oil alliance that includes Russia. The oil-rich country has maintained good ties with Russia despite Western pressure to help isolate the Kremlin over its war against Ukraine that began in February 2022.
UAE has not supported the global sanctions imposed on Russia over its war in Ukraine.
