UAE Halts Purchase of 80 Fighter Jets from France

by Admin

Aug 28, 2024

(L) France President Emmanuel Macron and United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Abu Dhabi Muhammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R). Image via Getty Images

The United Arab Emirates has halted its contract acquisition of 80 fighter jets from France which is worth $17 billion dollars and it is currently weighing the option of blocking military-technical cooperation between the two countries.

This decision comes after the arrest of the Telegram owner, Pavel Duro on Sunday night at Paris’s Le Bourget airport in Paris after the tech mogul flew back from Azerbaijan. 

United Arab Emirates foreign minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan has called on France to provide the telegram president access to all necessary consular services, this was said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

“The Emirates are closely following the case of Emirati citizen Pavel Durov, founder of the Telegram social network, who was detained by the French authorities at Le Bourget airport. And they conveyed a demand to the French government to urgently provide it with all the necessary consular services,”  the statement further said that  “Caring for citizens, preserving their interests, following up on their affairs, and providing them with all aspects of care is a top priority for the UAE.” 

The 39 years old billionaire has been charged with crimes ranging from drug trafficking, apology for terrorism, and cyberbullying,

Pavel is also a citizen of France, Russia, and the Caribbean island nation of St Kitts and Nevis. He is currently at the French court to face trials to determine whether he will be remanded in prison or will be set free and placed under restricted movement within France. 

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