EU-Gulf Riyadh summit postponed amid Houthi attacks

The European Union and Gulf Cooperation Council postponed a summit planned for October 24, 2026, in Riyadh, the European Council said Thursday, as Saudi Arabia faces sustained attacks from Yemen's Houthis.

“The second Summit between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council, originally planned for 24 October 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been postponed,” the European Council said. “A new date will be announced in due course.”

The announcement came after a series of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including a strike on Riyadh's international airport that the source described as the kingdom's deadliest in years.

The EU has sought to strengthen trade and security ties with the GCC, whose members are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The European Council said the partnership was of “great strategic importance” and that the EU remained committed to sustaining momentum after the first summit in October 2024.

A Saudi-led coalition has supported Yemen's government militarily against the Houthis since 2015 in a civil war that has created a humanitarian crisis.