Luxembourg, UAE Strengthen Ties Amid Middle East Tensions

On Friday 22 May 2026, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), paid a working visit to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

According to Luxembourg's Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade and the Ministry of State, the Emirati minister was received by Grand Duke Guillaume and Prime Minister Luc Frieden.

He also met with Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel.

The two ministers discussed the situation in the Middle East, with Minister Bettel emphasising the need to preserve the "fragile" ceasefires in Iran and Lebanon. He reaffirmed the importance of advancing towards a lasting political solution that guarantees peace and stability in the region.

Minister Bettel reiterated Luxembourg's condemnation of the Iranian attacks carried out against Gulf countries, including those targeting the UAE. He said these acts constitute a "flagrant violation" of international law and state sovereignty. He specifically denounced the drone attacks of 17 May 2026 against the Barakah nuclear power plant.

He also reiterated Luxembourg's commitment to de-escalation and a diplomatic solution to resolve tensions in the region, arguing that this is essential to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions and address the risks associated with its military programmes and destabilising activities.

Luxembourg's Foreign Minister further called for the immediate and unrestricted reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the closure of which continues to have serious economic, political and humanitarian consequences.

Minister Bettel expressed his gratitude to his UAE counterpart for the "excellent" cooperation in the evacuation of Luxembourgish and European citizens from the United Arab Emirates.

The two ministers additionally discussed bilateral relations and explored ways to strengthen cooperation, particularly in the financial, economic and innovation sectors.

The ministry noted that, for fifteen years, Luxembourg has maintained an embassy in Abu Dhabi, which remains the country's only diplomatic representation in the region.

On social media, Minister Bettel summarised his meeting with the UAE Foreign Minister as follows: "It was an honour and a pleasure to welcome His Highness Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Luxembourg today. The United Arab Emirates remains an important partner, trusted friend and ally of Luxembourg." He added that "Luxembourg stands in solidarity with the UAE following the recent attacks by Iran on its territory and continues to support diplomacy as the path to lasting peace [in the region]."

During the visit, Luxembourg's Minister of Justice, Elisabeth Margue, and the UAE Minister of State, Lana Nusseibeh, signed a bilateral treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. According to Luxembourg's Ministry of Justice, this treaty reflects the two countries' shared commitment to strengthening judicial cooperation in the fight against all forms of serious crime, including financial and economic crime. It aims to facilitate mutual legal assistance between the judicial authorities of the two countries in the context of criminal investigations. The treaty's objective is to regulate exchanges in this area and thus ensure greater effectiveness in prosecuting cross-border crime.

UPDATED to add details of the legal treaty signing.