A meeting of EU and Gulf leaders planned for next week in Riyadh has been postponed.
Jasem Al Budaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Co-operation Council said on Thursday that attacks on Saudi Arabia by the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and the suspension of operations at King Khalid International Airport, meant the summit would be rescheduled.
He said the decision was taken to ensure the safety of participating delegations amid continued threats to civilians and the extension of the airport’s operational suspension.
The EU Council said: "The partnership between the EU and the GCC is of great strategic importance to both regions.
"The EU remains committed to deepening this partnership and sustaining the momentum built since the first summit in October 2024."
This would have been the second time leaders gather in this format designed to boost ties between the two regions.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who travelled to Brussels for the first EU-GCC summit in late 2024, was scheduled to co-host the gathering in his home country with EU Council President Antonio Costa, in the presence of the EU's 27 leaders.
"A new date will be announced in due course," the European Council said.
The decision comes amid continuous attacks by Yemeni rebels against Saudi Arabia, mainly targeting its airports.
Houthi missile strikes have also damaged the kingdom's energy and maritime infrastructure.
'New route'
Speaking earlier in the day, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said he expected the postponement of the summit "maybe for security reasons".
"We highly appreciate the dialogue between the EU and the Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia," he said.
Mr Radev said his country was pushing to develop a railway corridor to export Saudi oil through Syria, Turkey, Bulgaria and onwards to Europe, to avoid the Strait of Hormuz, currently under an Iranian blockade.
"I believe that this new route will find a place in our discussions and solutions and decisions within the European Union," he said.
Gulf states had hoped that the summit would pave the way for the harmonisation of Schengen visa waivers.
There are different rules depending on states, with the UAE benefitting from an exemption, while citizens from Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman are granted a five-year multi-entry visa.
EU states have stepped up their relationship with the Gulf since the start of the Iran war, portraying themselves as a reliable ally. Countries like France and Italy have sent air defence systems to the UAE and more recently to Saudi Arabia.