U.S. President Donald Trump and Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan discussed regional security issues including the “importance of de-escalation in Libya through the removal of foreign forces” during a phone call on Tuesday, the White House said.
The crown prince is the de facto leader of the United Arab Emirates. The UAE, alongside Egypt and Russia, backs eastern Libya commander Khalifa Haftar, whose fighters have been battling the forces of the country’s internationally recognized government. Turkey has stepped up support for the government in Tripoli.
On Monday, U.S. President Trump spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron on ways to de-escalate the situation in Libya, the White House said in a statement.
The conflict in Libya between the internationally recognized government in Tripoli and the eastern-based forces of Khalifa Haftar “has been exacerbated by the presence of foreign forces and arms,” the statement said.
