The UAE’s OPEC exit is not about oil; it is the end of Gulf solidarity

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has lost its collective sovereignty for Gulf members. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has withdrawn from OPEC and the expanded coalition OPEC+, citing flexibility and long-term national interest. This decision is a visible sign of a deep regional rupture between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, driven by incompatible visions of Gulf order