UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed traveled to Turkey on Wednesday, according to reports in Emirati media.

He is expected to meet with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and there are many issues on the agenda. Burhanettin Duran, communications director for the Turkish presidency, said the two leaders “are expected to discuss steps to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries.”

This is a significant visit. Al-Ain media in the UAE said that it “marks a qualitative shift in relations between the two countries.”

It’s worth recalling that five years ago, relations were much colder between Ankara and Abu Dhabi. During the Abraham Accords era in 2020, Turkey had even threatened to cut ties with the UAE if it went ahead with normalization with Israel. However, things have changed. Turkey has rekindled its ties with the Gulf, beyond Qatar, which was always a close ally of Ankara.

Additionally, Turkey is still hostile to Israel. The UAE has also seen that the accords have not brought it as much as it may have wanted.

“During the visit, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will discuss with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan various aspects of cooperation and joint action to serve the development priorities of both countries, in addition to a range of regional and international issues of mutual interest,” al-Ain said on Wednesday.
The report goes on to note that “the two leaders affirmed their countries’ keenness to support all efforts and endeavors made to achieve regional peace and stability, which would benefit all peoples of the region.”

A historic milestone

This is the third visit by the Emirati president to Turkey in four years, following two visits on June 10, 2023, and one on November 24, 2021, which marked a historic milestone and a significant turning point in the course of relations between the two countries, Al-Ain noted.

“During the same period, the Turkish president made five visits to the UAE, the most recent of which was in February 2024, during which he attended the World Government Summit 2024, in which Turkey participated as the guest of honor, crowning the growing relations between the two countries.”

There are many important issues ahead to discuss. The countries have economic ties and a partnership agreement. There are numerous memorandums that the countries have signed that are estimated to be worth some $50 billion in trade.

“Erdogan also presented Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan with a Turkish-made Togg electric car, expressing his pride in the strong relations between the two countries,” Al-Ain shared.

Regional countries will be watching closely. Will the visit touch on issues in Syria and the Caucasus? What other issues may be on the agenda?

Will they discuss Gaza and what comes next regarding the conflict there? Turkey backs Hamas, and the UAE has generally backed the PA or other ideas for what might come next. Could Ankara and Abu Dhabi have ideas that could help solve the conflict that has dragged on for 648 days?