Turning Point and the Iran War - A Renewed Security Partnership between Europe and the Gulf

As part of the Doha Forum, the Regional Programme Gulf States of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), in partnership with the Center for International Policy Research (CIPR) from Qatar, the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), and the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI), will bring together leading voices from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Germany and Italy to discuss the future of security cooperation between Europe and the Gulf. Both regions have reached a turning point. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and shifts in US foreign policy have pushed Europe to rearm and pursue greater strategic sovereignty, while the 2026 Iran war, Iranian strikes on all six GCC states and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have raised the bar for Gulf security. The question is no longer whether Europe and the Gulf should cooperate more closely, but what form that partnership should take. Panelists will examine where European and Gulf priorities converge and diverge, the potential of defense-industrial cooperation, capability development, maritime security and institutional frameworks, the role of Ukraine’s defense industry, and how a renewed partnership should relate to Washington.