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US Suspends Long-Range Missile Deployment in Europe
The United States cancelled deployment of a long-range missile battalion, leaving Europe more exposed to Russian threats. Gulf states deepened economic ties with the US in 2025 amid a war against Iran but now face shifting alliances, with the UAE exiting OPEC.
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WASHINGTON -- The United States has cancelled the deployment of a weapons battalion equipped with long-range missiles to Europe, a move that leaves the continent more exposed and threatens NATO's deterrence against Russia. The decision comes as Europe pursues its own re-arming efforts. Financial Times reported the cancellation on May 3, 2026.
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In the Gulf, trade between the states and the US exceeded $120 billion in 2024, setting the stage for deeper ties. The 2025 Riyadh summit produced trade and investment agreements surpassing $2 trillion between Gulf states and the US. That same year, Gulf sovereign wealth funds directed nearly $70 billion into US assets.
On May 14, 2025, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, US President Donald Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa joined other Gulf Cooperation Council leaders for a group photo session in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The gathering underscored the longstanding partnership spanning security, energy, finance, and diplomacy. Gulf countries had opened their territory to a near-unconditional American military presence for decades.
The US launched a war alongside Israel against Iran, sidelining Gulf partners despite their appeals. Now, the Trump administration is attempting to negotiate with Iran, again prioritizing Israeli interests over those of Arab allies. In this context, the United Arab Emirates decided to leave OPEC, a step that reduces collective leverage for oil-producing Arab states over the US and the world.
Beijing views Taiwan as part of China and has never ruled out the use of force to achieve reunification. It regards Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te as an obstinate separatist.
In November, popular Taiwanese YouTuber and bodybuilder Holger Chen Chih-han, known as Gym Boss, visited Xintian village. 3 million followers, including a stop at the Lai Clan Ancestral Hall, a repository of centuries of clan history. Clan association secretary Lai Hanzhong spoke to Chen during the visit.
