The UAE opens its annual oil-and-gas summit as industry weathers Mideast wars and awaits US election

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates opened its annual oil-and-gas summit on Monday as it plans to increase the country's energy output as global prices stay volatile and world politics remain uncertain ahead of the U.S. presidential election.

The massive Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference comes after the UAE just last year hosted the United Nations COP28 climate talks. Those talks ended with a call by nearly 200 countries to move away from planet-warming fossil fuels — the first time the conference made that crucial pledge.

But the UAE as a whole still plans to increase its production capacity of oil to 5 million barrels a day in the coming years as it pursues more cleaner energies at home. Meanwhile, UAE officials have made a point to dodge any questions about the U.S. election while maintaining their close ties to Russia despite Moscow's war on Ukraine.

“Allow me to say that we in the United Arab Emirates will always choose partnership over polarization, dialogue over division and peace over provocation,” said Sultan al-Jaber, who heads the state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., or ADNOC, and who also led the COP28 talks in Dubai.

Crude oil prices have been depressed this year. Benchmark Brent crude traded around $74 a barrel on Monday as prices have dropped after concerns over the ongoing Mideast wars growing into a regional conflict faded in recent days.

Slowing economic growth in China and ample supply in the market are additionally dragging down prices.

In his speech opening the summit, al-Jaber pointed to artificial intelligence as a future technology that could be deployed by the energy industry — and one with a voracious appetite for electricity.

“No single source of energy is going to be enough to meet this demand,” he said. He called for a variety of energy sources to meet that challenge, including fossil fuels.

“Oil will continue to be used for fuel and as a building block for many essential products,” al-Jaber added.

Scientists have called for drastically slashing the world’s emissions by nearly half in the coming years to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) compared with pre-industrial times.

The 2015 Paris Agreement mentions that limit without specifically calling for a stop on using fossil fuels — something that OPEC Secretary-General Haitham al-Ghais seized on in remarks.

“The Paris Agreement, ladies and gentlemen, is about the reduction of emissions,” he said. “It’s not about phasing out or phasing down or keeping the oil under the ground.”

Suhail al-Mazrouei, the Emirates’ minister of energy and infrastructure, separately stressed that “investments in the oil and gas need to be taken care of” to support demand in the market.

“We are committed to invest in making more resources in the future to ensure the world will have adequate oil and gas resources,” he said.

Hardeep Singh Puri, India's minister of petroleum and natural gas, separately made a point to criticize what he described as his “ideologically motivated colleagues” who sought an end to fossil fuel production.

“As we accelerate other green energy transition, we will still need affordable traditional energy at least for two decades, if not longer,” he said.

Politics was also close at hand at the summit on Monday. Whispers among the crowd attending the opening pondered who would be better for their businesses, Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump.

Al-Mazrouei dodged the first question by a presenter over whether his country preferred Trump or Harris.

“Of course, we will be discussing energy politics here and I (would) rather not ... talk about the election in the United States,” al-Mazrouei said. “As a political contest, we wish both candidates the best.”

Later, ADNOC executive Musabbeh al-Kaabi said he worried that “escalating tensions and trade wars may have an impact on the energy transition going forward.” However, he declined to comment directly on the election.

The UAE maintains close ties to Russia despite Western sanctions over Moscow's war. An announcer told the crowd where to find Russian translation for the event, while one of the main partners of the summit was Lukoil, Russia’s largest non-state oil firm.

Meanwhile, the Mideast wars remain a top concern.

“I think the conflict in the Middle East is probably the top risk,” U.K.-based BP CEO Murray Auchincloss said. “We’re worried about the safety and security of our people and the security of energy flows.”

Tengku Muhammad Taufik President and CEO PETRONAS speaks on a panel, during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Murray Auchincloss CEO BP talks in a panel during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Musabbeh Al Kaaba Executive Director ADNOC talks at a panel during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Murray Auchincloss CEO BP, left, watches as Wael Sawan CEO Shell, speaks during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Claudio Descalzi CEO Eni talks at a panel during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Musabbeh Al Kaaba Executive Director ADNOC talks at a panel during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

From left to right, Moderator Becky Anderson, Murray Auchincloss CEO BP, Wael Sawan CEO Shell, Tengku Muhammad Taufik President and CEO PETRONAS , Musabbeh Al Kaaba Executive Director ADNOC and Claudio Descalzi CEO Eni, participate in a panel during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

A delegate takes a selfie during the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director of state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) Sultan al-Jaber speaks during the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Moderator Hadley Gamble, left, looks on as UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail al-Mazrouei talks in a panel during the the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Delegates leave the hall after the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail al-Mazrouei talks in a panel during the inaugural session of the annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

India's Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, center, talks in a panel as UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail al-Mazrouei, second left, Egypt's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of Egypt Karim Badawi, second right, and Uganda's Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu look on during the the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail al-Mazrouei arrives on the stage to participate in a panel discussion during the the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Egypt's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of Egypt Karim Badawi, left, talks in a panel as Uganda's Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu looks on during the the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director of state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) Sultan al-Jaber speaks during the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director of state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) Sultan al-Jaber speaks during the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), Oil and Energy exhibition and conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director of state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) Sultan al-Jaber speaks during the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), Oil and Energy exhibition and conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director of state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) Sultan al-Jaber speaks during the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), Oil and Energy exhibition and conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian drones blasted apartment buildings and the power grid in the southern Ukraine city of Odesa in an overnight attack that injured six people, including a toddler and two other children, officials said Wednesday.

Four apartment buildings were damaged in the bombardment, according to regional military administration head Oleh Kiper. Power company DTEK said two of its energy facilities suffered significant damage. The company said that 10 substations that distribute electricity in the Odesa region were damaged in December alone.

Russia has this year escalated its long-range attacks on urban areas of Ukraine. In recent months, as Russia’s invasion of its neighbor approaches its four-year milestone in February, it has also intensified its targeting of energy infrastructure, seeking to deny Ukrainians heat and running water in the bitter winter months.

From January to November this year, more than 2,300 Ukrainian civilians were killed and more than 11,000 were injured, the United Nations said earlier this month. That was 26% higher than in the same period in 2024 and 70% higher than in 2023, it said.

Russia’s sustained drone and missile attacks have taken place against backdrop of renewed diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting.

U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Florida resort on Sunday and announced that a settlement is “closer than ever before." The Ukrainian leader is due to hold talks next week with the heads of European governments supporting his efforts to secure acceptable terms.

The ongoing attacks, meantime, are inflaming tensions.

The overnight Odesa strikes “are further evidence of the enemy’s terror tactics, which deliberately target civilian infrastructure,” Kiper, the regional head, said.

Moscow has alleged that Ukraine attempted to attack Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence in northwestern Russia with 91 long-range drones late Sunday and early Monday. Ukrainian officials deny the claim and say it’s a ruse to derail progress in the peace negotiations.

Maj. Gen. Alexander Romanenkov of the Russian air force claimed Wednesday that the drones took off from Ukraine’s Sumy and Chernihiv regions.

At a briefing where no questions were allowed, he presented a map showing the drone flight routes before they were downed by Russian air defenses over the Bryansk, Tver, Smolensk and Novgorod regions.

It was not possible to independently verify the reports.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, on Wednesday called the Russian allegations “a deliberate distraction” from the peace talks.

“No one should accept unfounded claims from the aggressor who has indiscriminately targeted Ukraine’s infrastructure and civilians since the start of the war,” Kallas posted on X.

Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Romania and Croatia are the latest countries to join a fund that buys weapons for Ukraine from the United States. The financial arrangement, known as the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List, or PURL, pools contributions from NATO members, except the United States, to purchase American weapons, munitions and equipment.

Since it was established in August, 24 countries are now contributing to the fund, according to Zelenskyy. The fund has so far received $4.3 billion, with almost $1.5 billion coming in December alone, he said on social media.

Ukraine’s air force said Wednesday that Russia fired 127 drones at the country during the night, with 101 of them intercepted by air defenses.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said that 86 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight over Russian regions, the Black Sea and the illegally annexed Crimea peninsula.

The Ukrainian attack started a fire at an oil refinery in Russia's southern Krasnodar region, but it was quickly put out, local authorities said.

This story has corrected the day of the alleged Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian president’s residence to late Sunday and early Monday.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this image made from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, a Russian Army soldier fires from D-30 howitzer towards Ukrainian positions in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)