A statement from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office briefly triggered a wave of concern in the United Arab Emirates after it suggested that a planned meeting in Abu Dhabi had been canceled due to the health of UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
In a short announcement released Tuesday evening, Erdogan's office said his visit to Abu Dhabi had been called off because of President Al Nahyan's illness. Several hours later, Greece also announced that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis would not be meeting the Emirati president.
It remains unclear what prompted the cancellations. The Turkish statement was deleted shortly after publication, apparently because it explicitly referred to the Emirati president as being ill. In many Middle Eastern countries, a ruler's medical condition is closely guarded, and even minor concerns about a leader's health can fuel internal tensions and power struggles.
Following the back-to-back cancellations, unverified claims began circulating on social media alleging that Al Nahyan was facing serious health issues, including suggestions that he may have suffered a significant medical event. None of these claims were confirmed by UAE authorities or any official source, and Abu Dhabi did not directly address the reports.
The UAE's state news agency, WAM, made no mention of any health concerns in its coverage of Mitsotakis' call, describing the conversation as focused on strengthening bilateral ties and reviewing regional developments.
Al Nahyan, 66, who also serves as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, spoke by phone on Wednesday with Erdogan and with the Greek prime minister. Several statements published on his official website stressed that the Emir's medical condition was stable. He is not known to suffer from any serious health problems and maintains an active schedule that includes foreign visits and meetings with senior officials from around the world.
