EU, Gulf nations postpone Riyadh summit after Houthi attacks

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM: A summit between the European Union and Gulf countries in Riyadh has been postponed, Brussels said on Thursday, as Saudi Arabia faces sustained attacks from Yemen’s Houthis.

Saudi Arabia has in recent days come under sustained attack from the Houthis, including a strike on Riyadh’s international airport that was the kingdom’s deadliest in years, as its war with the group escalates.

“The second Summit between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council, originally planned for 24 October 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been postponed,” said the European Council representing the 27-nation bloc’s member states.

“A new date will be announced in due course.”

The EU has sought to bolster trade and security ties with the GCC, whose members are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Gulf states call off meeting with Iran; Houthis launch new attack on Saudi

The meeting was supposed to act as a catalyst, coming as the war in the Middle East batters Gulf economies and threatens Europe’s energy supplies, but the security situation in Saudi Arabia appears to have forced a postponement.

“The partnership between the EU and the GCC is of great strategic importance to both regions. The EU remains committed to deepening this partnership and sustaining the momentum built since the first Summit in October 2024,” the European Council said.

A Saudi-led coalition has supported Yemen’s government militarily against the Houthis since 2015 in a long-running civil war that has created a humanitarian crisis.