meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Riyadh takes the diplomatic initiative

2 April 2025

 

Saudi Arabia has been at the centre of regional diplomatic activity through the early months of 2025, positioning itself as an intermediary in the Ukraine conflict and at the forefront of engagement with the new regime in Syria.

The role of regional mediator is one that has in recent years been more closely associated with Qatar – particularly in relation to the Gaza conflict – and, on occasion, Oman.

Riyadh’s decision to throw its weight behind diplomatic initiatives is part of what Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Saudi-based Gulf Research Centre, has described as a “bold multi-alignment strategy”, which seeks to balance Riyadh’s economic and security concerns and its regional leadership ambitions.

Multipronged initiatives

The kingdom has gained plaudits for its efforts to resolve the Ukraine war in particular. Following his talks with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) in Jeddah on 11 March, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: “Saudi Arabia provides a crucial platform for diplomacy, and we appreciate this.”

Zelenskyy added that he had “a detailed discussion on the steps and conditions needed to end the war” with the crown prince.

The previous month, US secretary of state Marco Rubio had said Saudi Arabia had played an “indispensable role” in setting up bilateral negotiations between Moscow and Washington to discuss the conflict.

Russia’s President Vladamir Putin has also praised the Saudi leadership for providing a platform for high-level meetings with the US and “creating a very friendly atmosphere”.

Whether all this leads to a lasting peace deal for Ukraine remains to be seen, but Saudi Arabia’s attitude to conflict may be coloured somewhat by its own experiences over the past decade in Yemen.

It is now 10 years since it launched a bombing campaign against Yemen’s Houthi rebels in March 2015, and the war has not gone as Riyadh had hoped, with the Houthis proving far more resilient than anticipated.

Saudi Arabia’s southern border has at least been relatively quiet since a truce took hold in 2022, but a comprehensive peace deal has proved elusive.

Riyadh has also been re-engaging in the Levant this year, in light of the new regime in Damascus.

The new Syrian president Ahmed Al-Sharaa travelled to Riyadh in early February, on his first trip abroad since taking power. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan had been in Damascus a week earlier.

There are some key issues at stake for Riyadh. The regime of President Bashar Al-Assad had overseen the industrial-scale production of the amphetamine-type stimulant Captagon, much of which was smuggled into Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. Saudi efforts to disrupt the trade – both at its borders and via lobbying of the Syrian authorities – had failed to stem the flow of drugs.

In addition, Hasan Alhasan, senior fellow for Middle East Policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, has pointed out that between 500,000 and 2.5 million de facto Syrian refugees are thought to be living in Saudi Arabia – a fact that gives Riyadh a clear interest in Syria’s stability, particularly if it wants to encourage them to return home.

“Saudi Arabia views the fall of the Assad regime as an opportunity to reassert its influence in the Levant,” he asserted in a recent commentary.

The ousting of Assad in late 2024 and the recent Israeli campaign against Hezbollah has also changed the situation on the ground in Lebanon, encouraging Saudi Arabia to reconsider its approach there too.

MBS hosted Lebanon’s recently elected President Joseph Aoun on 3 March. Following their meeting, Saudi Arabia said it would look again at allowing Lebanese exports to Saudi Arabia and letting its own citizens travel to Lebanon.

Manoeuvring around Trump

The Saudi diplomatic push may also be motivated by a desire to ensure that relations with Washington remain on a positive footing in the wake of Donald Trump’s re-election as US president.

At first, it appeared that the bilateral relations would follow a similar pattern to Trump’s first term.

In January, MBS said in a phone call with Trump that Saudi Arabia was planning to invest some $600bn in the US over the coming four years, which the US president suggested should probably be increased to $1tn. This echoed the signing of $460bn-worth of defence deals when Trump made Saudi Arabia his first foreign trip as president in May 2017.

Riyadh appears to have conceded to Trump’s higher figure, with the US president saying in early March: “I said I'll go if you pay $1tn to American companies, meaning the purchase over a four-year period of $1tn, and they've agreed to do that. So, I'm going to be going there.”

However, other aspects of the bilateral relationship are more difficult and less predictable. Trump had been pushing Saudi Arabia to join Bahrain, the UAE and Morocco in normalising relations with Israel, but in light of the war in Gaza and Trump’s own plans for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from the strip, that looks like a stretch too far.

Trump will nevertheless have been pleased by the decision by Saudi Arabia and the other members of the Opec+ bloc in early March to unwind some of the production restrictions they had voluntarily agreed.

From April onwards, the eight-strong group will start to bring 2.2 million barrels a day back onto the market over the course of 18 months. That fits in with Trump’s call in January, soon after taking office, for Riyadh and Opec to do more to help bring oil prices down.

However, that decision may also create fiscal challenges for the Saudi government, as any rise in production could be more than offset by lower prices.

Saudi Aramco has announced plans to trim its dividend payouts this year to $85.4bn – down from $124bn in 2024. These payments are a vital source of revenues both for the central government and for its Public Investment Fund (which holds a 16% stake in Aramco)

All that could force some public sector spending constraint in the kingdom, in a sign that balancing diplomacy and financial interests is not always straightforward.

MEED’s April 2025 report on Saudi Arabia includes:

> UPSTREAM: Saudi oil and gas spending to surpass 2024 level
> DOWNSTREAM: Aramco’s recalibrated chemical goals reflect realism
> POWER: Saudi power sector enters busiest year
> WATER: Saudi water contracts set another annual record
> CONSTRUCTION: Reprioritisation underpins Saudi construction
> TRANSPORT: Riyadh pushes ahead with infrastructure development
> BANKING: Saudi banks work to keep pace with credit expansion

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/13483143/main.gif
Dominic Dudley

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Iranian missiles hit Qatari and Kuwaiti fuel tankers

    1 April 2026

    Iranian missiles have struck fuel tankers in Gulf waters belonging to Qatar and Kuwait, as Tehran continues to target energy, industrial and logistical assets in GCC countries.

    A fuel oil tanker chartered by QatarEnergy, named Aqua 1, was struck by missiles in Qatar’s northern territorial waters in the early hours of 1 April, the company said in a statement.

    “None of the crew members on board were injured, and there is no impact on the environment as a result of this incident,” QatarEnergy said.

    Earlier, on 31 March,  said one of its very large crude carriers, Al-Salmi, caught fire after being hit by an Iranian missile while anchored in UAE waters just outside Dubai.

    The vessel’s crew, with support from UAE authorities, extinguished the fire by 04:26 Kuwait time on 31 March, KPC said. It added that all 24 crew members were safe and that no oil spill or environmental damage occurred.

    “KPC is continuing to assess the damage in coordination with relevant authorities,” the Kuwaiti state energy conglomerate said.

    ALSO READ: Iran strikes Gulf aluminium assets after hits on its steel sector
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16217670/main4010.jpg
    Indrajit Sen
  • One killed and one injured in drone attacks on the UAE

    1 April 2026

    Debris falling from Iranian drones intercepted by the UAE’s air defence systems has killed one person in the emirate of Fujairah and injured another in Umm Al-Quwain in two separate incidents on 1 April.

    A successful interception of a drone by UAE air defence forces resulted in debris falling on a farm in Fujairah, leading to the death of a Bangladeshi national.

    The latest fatality brings the total death toll in the UAE since the start of the US-Israel-Iran war to 12. Most of the deaths have been caused by falling debris following interceptions. Among the deceased are two members of the UAE armed forces who died while performing their duties, as well as a Moroccan civilian contracted by the armed forces.

    The remaining victims were of Bangladeshi, Indian, Nepali, Pakistani and Palestinian nationalities.

    Hours after the Fujairah incident, authorities in Umm Al-Quwain confirmed that an Indian national was injured when debris from an intercepted drone fell in the emirate.

    In a statement posted on its official social media channels, the Umm Al-Quwain government media office said the incident occurred near an industrial facility in the Umm Al-Thuoob area, after air defence systems successfully intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

    Meanwhile, the latest data from the UAE Ministry of Defence, released on 31 March, showed that air defence systems had engaged 36 UAVs, four cruise missiles and eight ballistic missiles in the previous 24 hours. Cumulatively, authorities said 1,977 drones, 19 cruise missiles and 433 ballistic missiles have been intercepted since the onset of the war on 28 February.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16218126/main.jpg
    Indrajit Sen
  • Contractors submit Al-Maktoum airport superstructure bids

    1 April 2026

     

    Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) received proposals on 31 March from contractors for three packages covering superstructure works for the first phase of the expansion of Al-Maktoum International airport.

    MEED understands that the selected contractor will undertake superstructure works on three packages:

    • West Terminal and concourse one
    • Concourse two
    • Concourse three

    Construction on these packages began in November last year, when DAEP formally selected a contractor to deliver the substructure works.

    According to an official description on DAEP’s website, the expanded airport’s West Terminal will be a seven-level, 800,000-square-metre facility with an annual capacity of 45 million passengers.

    It will be the second of three terminals at Al-Maktoum International airport, linked to the airside by a 14-station automated people-mover (APM) system.

    In August last year, MEED exclusively reported that DAEP had received bids from firms to build the APM at the airport. 

    The system will run under the apron of the entire airfield and the airport’s terminals. It will consist of several tracks, taking passengers from the terminals to the concourses.

    Four underground stations will be built as part of the first phase. The overall plan includes 14 stations across the airport.

    The airport’s construction is planned to be undertaken in three phases. The airport will cover an area of 70 square kilometres (sq km) south of Dubai and will have five parallel runways, five terminal buildings and 400 aircraft gates.

    It will be five times the size of the existing Dubai International airport and will have the world’s largest passenger-handling capacity of 260 million passengers a year. For cargo, it will have the capacity to handle 12 million tonnes a year.

    Construction progress

    Construction on the first phase has already begun. In May last year, MEED exclusively reported that DAEP had awarded a AED1bn ($272m) deal to UAE firm Binladin Contracting Group to construct the second runway at the airport.

    The enabling works on the terminal are also ongoing and are being undertaken by Abu Dhabi-based Tristar E&C.

    Construction on the project’s first phase is expected to be completed by 2032.

    The government approved the updated designs and timelines for its largest construction project in April 2024.

    In a statement, the authorities said the plan is for all operations from Dubai International airport to be transferred to Al-Maktoum International within 10 years.

    The statement added that the project will create housing demand for 1 million people around the airport.

    In September 2024, MEED exclusively reported that a team comprising Austria’s Coop Himmelb(l)au and Lebanon’s Dar Al-Handasah had been confirmed as the lead masterplanning and design consultants on the expansion of Al-Maktoum airport.

    Project history

    The expansion of Al-Maktoum International, also known as Dubai World Central (DWC), is a long-standing project. It was officially launched in 2014, with a different design from the one approved in April 2024. At that time, it involved building the biggest airport in the world by 2050, with the capacity to handle 255 million passengers a year.

    An initial phase, due to be completed in 2030, involved increasing the airport’s capacity to 130 million passengers a year. The development was to cover an area of 56 sq km.

    Progress on the project slipped as the region grappled with the impact of lower oil prices and Dubai focused on developing the Expo 2020 site. Tendering for work on the project then stalled with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16215664/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Drone strikes Kuwait International airport

    1 April 2026

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Kuwait International airport was hit by further drone attacks on Wednesday, with strikes on fuel tanks sparking a major fire.

    Kuwait’s state news agency Kuna said the attack caused significant damage to fuel tanks belonging to Kuwait Aviation Fuelling Company. No casualties were reported.

    This was the second reported incident at the airport in recent days. Local media reported that the airport was attacked on 28 March by multiple drones, causing significant damage to its radar system.

    The airport is currently undergoing expansion works that are expected to be completed by 2027, as MEED reported previously.

    Project execution of the second terminal began in 2017, with the completion date pushed back from the original 2022 target.

    The second terminal project consists of three packages.

    These are:

    • Package 1: Main works – $4,329m
    • Package 2: Multistorey car park building, connection roads, bridges and landscaping works – $550m
    • Package 3: Aircraft parking, runways and service buildings – $950m

    Turkiye’s Limak Holding is executing the main works.

    The terminal building was designed by Foster+Partners and Gulf Consult.

    Spanish firm Ineco is providing the project management services for the new terminal building and the airfield.

    The scope of the main package includes the new terminal building, a building for cooling and electricity supply facilities, and a building for the water supply and the future Automatic People Mover (APM) connection to the satellite building.

    The terminal building will be three times the size of the original building and will have 36 boarding gates.

    The building will cover more than 700,000 square metres and have five floors, one of which will be underground.

    It will have the capacity, at maximum service level, for 25 million passengers a year once the first phase has been completed and up to 50 million passengers after further phases are completed.

    The second package of works includes a new car park with approximately 5,000 parking spaces, connected to the new passenger terminal.

    It also includes all new access roads to the airport and landscaping.

    The scope of the third package comprises the main platform, new taxiways and several tunnels, including one under the platform between the terminal building and the future cargo area of the airport.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16216797/main.png
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Saudi Arabia’s Sadara halts chemical production

    1 April 2026

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Sadara Chemical Company (Sadara), the Saudi Aramco-Dow Chemical joint venture producing petrochemicals and specialty chemicals, has announced a temporary shutdown of production, citing ongoing supply chain disruptions.

    Sadara operates a sprawling chemical production complex in Jubail in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, with a total output capacity of more than 3 million metric tonnes a year. Aramco and Dow established the Sadara petrochemicals complex – estimated to have cost $13bn – in 2016.

    The suspension was announced in a filing on the Saudi Exchange (Tadawul) by Sadara Basic ​Services, which issues sukuk, or Islamic bonds, ​for its parent. “The shutdown was successfully completed in accordance with Sadara’s high safety standards and in a manner that safeguards operations and reduces risk,” the entity said in its filing on 31 March. 

    “Sadara cannot provide, at the present ‌time, ⁠an estimate for the return to production, as this is contingent on domestic and international factors,” it said, ​adding ​the shutdown ⁠is expected to impact this year’s financial results.

    The month-long war between Israel, the US and Iran has spread across the Middle East, disrupting energy supplies and threatening the global economy, as Tehran has responded to US and Israeli attacks by targeting regional energy and industrial infrastructure, as well as shipping.

    ALSO READ: Sultan Al-Jaber calls Strait of Hormuz blockade “economic terrorism”

    Separately, Sadara, in another Tadawul filing on 31 March, announced a net loss of SR5,793bn ($1.54bn) for the full year 2025, a further decline of about 40% compared to 2024. The company’s revenue in 2025 fell by about 15% year-on-year to $2.63bn.

    The chemicals producer attributed the deepening of its losses in 2025 to a reduction in sales volumes, “which resulted from unplanned operational events and extended maintenance activities that temporarily impacted production availability”.

    Sadara also pinned its augmented losses to “margin compression, and higher fixed costs associated with unplanned operational events and extended maintenance activities.

    “In addition, the company experienced lower average selling prices across certain portfolio lines, which further contributed to the overall decrease in revenue,” Sadara said in the disclosure.

    In addition, “the net loss for 2025 increased compared to 2024, mainly due to an accounting adjustment related to a debt modification that had a favourable impact on the prior year’s results,” the company added.

    ALSO READ: Sabic registers $6.87bn net loss in 2025

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16215635/main2446.jpg
    Indrajit Sen