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Qatar as a Global Diplomatic Power: Mediation Efforts in the Gaza and Ukraine Conflicts
Thanks to its strengthened partnership with the United States and its multivectoral foreign policy, Doha’s role has become increasingly central in contemporary international relations. An analysis by Giorgio Cella
During prolonged conflicts, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine, it is a recurrent historical dynamic for various actors, linked to one of the two belligerent countries, to present themselves as mediators. These efforts serve not only to advance national interests but also to enhance global influence and prominence in international diplomacy. Over the two and a half years of war in Ukraine, we have witnessed numerous state actors from diverse regions and backgrounds seeking to claim a decisive role in diplomatic efforts to resolve the largest conflict of the 21st century thus far. These efforts have ranged from Turkey to France, the Vatican to Saudi Arabia, India to Qatar.
At different points in the conflict, these nations have attempted to bring about some form of de-escalation, with varying degrees of success and visibility. Each has contributed a small part to the broader diplomatic framework that could eventually lead to negotiations or, at the very least, a ceasefire. The Vatican, with its millennia-long history of managing power and international crises, its world’s oldest diplomatic apparatus, and its unwavering commitment to dialogue despite escalating violence, has undoubtedly served as a beacon for other powers that have taken turns at the negotiating table – regardless of immediate outcomes.
Among the actors involved, Qatar deserves specific reflection and occupies a unique role for several reasons. First, it is the smallest state – excluding the exceptional case of the Vatican – that has taken on a significant negotiating role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Despite its small territory and minimal demographic weight (1.8 million inhabitants), the Al Thani dynasty’s emirate, beyond its well-known status as a global energy power, has made diplomatic activism one of its strengths, transforming the kingdom into a central hub of global diplomacy.
Before delving into the specifics of Doha’s role in current international crises, a preliminary reflection is required for both analysts and historians alike. The emergence of new powers and diplomatic capitals, which were unimaginable just a few decades ago, especially from a Eurocentric perspective, signals a shift in global diplomatic balances. In addition to Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have also achieved diplomatic successes regarding the Ukraine conflict, facilitating prisoner exchanges (one of the few dimensions that have kept a faint dialogue alive between the two warring nations). This shift of diplomatic activism from the Euro-Western world towards the East can be partly explained by the fact that, in both conflicts, the European Union (except for France, which seeks to assert leadership) could not assume the role of a neutral arbitrator, being indirectly involved, particularly in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Another external factor contributing to the rise of diplomatic capitals outside the European sphere – aside from the global influence granted to states like Qatar and Saudi Arabia due to their status as leading exporters of gas and oil – has been the growing influence of the BRICS group and its efforts to diversify international relations dynamics beyond the Euro-Atlantic realm.
With these premises, it is necessary to analyze what has made Doha a pivotal player in global diplomatic relations in the 21st century. Qatar has been involved in various geopolitical and interstate crises over recent years, across different latitudes. From securing the release of American citizens in Iran and Venezuela, to negotiating the release of Ukrainian children held by Russia, from brokering agreements between the Trump administration and the Taliban for the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, to mediating between Eritrea and Djibouti, and in Darfur. While negotiation efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza are still ongoing, those aimed at a settlement between Kyiv and Moscow have, at least for now, been halted due to the Ukrainian offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, as revealed by The Washington Post. Doha’s clear intention to emerge as a major global mediator, alongside its implicit desire to expand its influence and prestige, stems from a domestic and regional need to project deterrence, increase security, and assert independence and sovereignty in the Gulf region. Indeed, the tensions that led to the isolation of Qatar (from 2017-2021) by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, and the UAE because of Doha's proximity to certain Islamist movements of the Muslim Brotherhood and especially to Tehran, seem to have disappeared. This past appears even further removed considering the recent visit by a European delegation to Doha (and Riyadh) led by European Council President Charles Michel and EU Special Representative for the Gulf region Luigi Di Maio, in preparation for the first summit between the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), set to take place in October in Brussels.
To achieve its status as a global mediator, one fundamental aspect is Qatar’s special relationship with the United States. Since 2001, Qatar has hosted the largest U.S. airbase in the Middle East at Al Udeid, located in the desert southwest of the capital, where about 10,000 U.S. troops are stationed. This base has been a key center for Washington’s military operations in the region. Qatar’s special relationship with Washington was recently highlighted when CIA Director William J. Burns awarded the “George Tenet” medal to Abdullah bin Mohammed al-Khulaifi, head of Doha’s intelligence services, for maintaining regional security and protecting U.S. interests in the Gulf.
Two other hallmarks of Doha’s diplomacy over the years are its staunch neutrality and willingness to engage with all parties, including controversial political-military groups like the Taliban and Hamas. Furthermore, Doha’s emerging role in the Ukraine conflict, extending beyond the Middle Eastern-Islamic sphere, marks a new step forward in its diplomatic projection. Despite the ongoing offensive in Kursk, Qatar’s efforts may prove valuable soon, particularly as it faces competition from other global diplomatic capitals, such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, China, and India – each eager to play a prestigious role in final negotiations or potentially host a future peace conference.
As for the Ukraine conflict, it is plausible that any potential resolution will arise from a collective and multinational effort. Given this complexity, any mediator aiming to lay the groundwork for a comprehensive peace conference might consider the diplomatic philosophy articulated by Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who noted that diplomacy is “...the art of intelligence through which innovative solutions are explored, capable of representing a balance between even the most distant and irreconcilable positions.” This definition, and the implied approach to negotiations, could serve as a conceptual guide in attempting to unravel the complex and heated conflict in Ukraine.
