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Middle East Institute

What the Gulf (and America) Can Learn from Ukraine
  • Commentary
  • What the Gulf (and America) Can Learn from Ukraine

    This past June, I had the opportunity to visit Ukraine and see a bit of a war I heretofore had only read about. The contrasts with the Middle Eastern wars I had experienced were stunning, as was, in particular, the juxtaposition with the current Iran conflict and the ongoing threat to our Gulf allies. There are lessons to be learned about commitment, intensity, self-reliance, and the importance of alliances. They could serve our allies and ourselves well in both theaters.

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    The Latest on War in Iran

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    The Middle East Institute aims to enhance peace, security, and people-to-people ties between the US and the Middle East by providing actionable foreign policy recommendations, rich cultural and educational programming, and opportunities for dialogue, engagement, and exchange.

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    Featured Events

    MEI Art Gallery – August First Friday Open House
  • Arts & Culture
  • MEI Art Gallery – August First Friday Open House

    Join us at our last First Friday Open House to see our exhibition Beyond the Weave: Contemporary Dialogues with AlSadu.

    August 7, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

    MEI Art Gallery - 1763 N St NW, Washington DC 20036

    Podcasts

    Backgrounders

    What’s behind Sudan’s humanitarian crisis?
  • Video
  • What’s behind Sudan’s humanitarian crisis?

    After the Rapid Support Forces’ seizure of al-Fashir, the capital of the North Darfur State and the last remaining stronghold of the Sudanese army, the conflict in Sudan has once again drawn international attention. This development is the latest in a devastating civil war that has lasted over two years. MEI’s Jehanne Henry unpacks the origins of the conflict, the humanitarian situation on the ground, and what needs to happen in the future.

    November 14, 2025

    OPEC and OPEC+
    Source: Simon Dawson/ Bloomberg via Getty Images
  • Backgrounder
  • OPEC and OPEC+

    This backgrounder provides an overview of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), including its history, structure, and function, and the US government’s approach to the organization.

    November 24, 2025