Abu Dhabi’s break with the oil cartel is less about barrels than power – testing Riyadh, helping Trump, and redrawing Gulf alliances Although the United Arab Emirates has tried to present its upcoming exit from OPEC and the wider OPEC+ framework as part of its sovereign energy strategy and long-term economic planning, its timing and regional context suggest that this is a political act. With its exit, the UAE is challenging the authority of Riyadh, strengthening its own strategic autonomy,