Trump welcomes Kuwaiti emir to the White House to discuss Qatar

Today, the US president welcomes Kuwait’s emir—the man mediating a spat between Qatar and a Saudi-led bloc including the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt. The row has resulted in a severing of diplomatic ties between Qatar and the bloc.

Despite intensive diplomatic efforts since the start of the crisis in June, talks have failed to break the blockade. The US desires a strong GCC effort against Iran, which requires both Saudi and Qatari support. So far, neither Kuwaiti nor US efforts have budged either side throughout last month.

The Saudi-led bloc, however, has reduced its demands, and Qatar has noted its support for a “constructive dialogue”. Two new American envoys in Qatar could further assist positive developments, though a proper resolution likely remains far-off.

While President Trump has previously displayed anti-Qatar sentiments, the administration’s official position supports the resolution of the crisis. Today’s talks will likely go towards maintaining the current status quo. But, further strategising can provide Kuwait the resources to pursue a solution at a UK-GCC summit in November and when it heads a GCC Secretariat in December.