The United Arab Emirates (UAE) does not expect to resume discussions with the U.S. on a multi-billion dollar deal to acquire F-35 fighter jets, regardless of who wins the upcoming U.S. presidential election, a senior UAE official said on Saturday.
While a news report by a leading news agency had indicated that the UAE might restart negotiations for the F-35 and armed drones if Donald Trump is re-elected, the UAE official made it clear that the conditions that led to the suspension of talks in 2021 have not changed.
In the final days of Trump’s presidency in 2021, he approved the sale of F-35 jets to the UAE, but the negotiations were halted later that year due to disagreements with the Biden administration over certain terms.
The UAE has long been interested in acquiring the advanced stealth fighter, which would make it the second Middle Eastern country after Israel to operate the jets.
The official reaffirmed that the UAE’s position remains unchanged, citing the same reasons for halting the talks in 2021, including technical requirements, restrictions on sovereign operations, and cost-benefit considerations.
They also noted that these factors continue to influence the UAE’s stance and ruled out the possibility of reopening discussions in the near future, regardless of the U.S. election results. The official did not comment on any potential talks regarding the purchase of armed drones.
