Representatives from the United States, the UK and the European Union are visits the United Arab Emirates amid concerns regarding shipments of goods, including computer chips. These computer chips are being shipped to Russia and could help Moscow in its war on Ukraine. The senior Western officials arrived to the UAE this week to discuss sanctions against Russia as there have been mounting concerns that Moscow has been able to bypass their sanctions through various means.

The report of the meeting came after an earlier report from the Wall Street Journal citing that US and European officials would press the UAE to halt shipments to Russia. This is part of a global effort to keep electronic components, computer chips and other products that can have civilian and military applications out of Russia. The UAE is a member of the OPEC+ oil alliance that includes Russia and has kept good ties with Moscow despite western pressure to isolate Russia since the invasion of Ukraine. The UAE has also not matched the global sanctions imposed on Russia. A UAE official said that the country abides by UN sanctions and has clear processes to deal with sanctioned entities. The official also said the country is involved in discussions with international partners about the conflict in Ukraine and its impacts on the global community.

Read More: Western officials visit UAE in efforts to halt exports to Russia