Trump Abandons Bin Salman, Moscow Strengthens Its Relationship with the “Houthis,” and Emirati Messages… Repercussions of the Developments on Yemen’s Western Coast

The recapture of Yemen’s western coast by Sana’a forces on Saturday redrew regional and international relations in a notable development since the start of the Saudi war on Yemen in March 2015.

Exclusive – Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni:

Messages of rapprochement with Sana’a began to pour in from international capitals. Russia is the first country to begin opening a direct communication channel with Sana’a, as the Russian ambassador to Yemen held a video call for the first time with the Deputy Foreign Minister in Sana’a. The call drew the attention of analysts and experts, who described it as a shift in Russian relations in Yemen.

In Washington, the US President made a painful statement for Saudi Arabia, his most prominent ally in the region. In his comment on the recent developments, whether in Bab Al-Mandeb or the targeting of the most important Saudi oil artery, Trump indicated his country’s unwillingness to engage in the war and sent a signal to Sana’a to maintain the truce concluded in March of last year.

Trump’s statements came after the US administration revealed two calls from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in which he tried to convince Trump to lead a new campaign in Yemen, which Trump refused, according to American media.

Although American circles expressed concern, Trump’s statements and remarks were interpreted as an acceptance of the fait accompli and an attempt to throw the ball into Saudi Arabia’s court, as the statements included a signal that the battle is not American and that Saudi Arabia must engage in its own war.

Reactions were not limited to major capitals but extended to Saudi Arabia’s most prominent allies in the war on Yemen, as the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and the son of the UAE President, Mohammed bin Zayed, held a meeting with the Iranian President in a step interpreted as part of the UAE’s attempts to rapprochement with Tehran and to send messages to its major ally regarding its role in the fall of Yemen’s western coast, amid Saudi speculation about the withdrawal of Emirati factions.

Apart from regional and international messages, recent moves indicate that the gains of the western coast were not limited to the military aspect alone—Yemeni forces liberated nearly 6,000 square kilometers and seized huge shipments of weapons and equipment—but extend to political and diplomatic aspects whose fruits are beginning to emerge and may establish a phase of international recognition after years of attempts to align with Saudi policy to isolate Yemen.