The article analyzes the main trends of international relations in the Middle East and foreign policy of the Arab Gulf monarchies. The author shows that despite the crisis around Gaza, a stable detente emerged between the GCC states and Iran, which had a visible impact on the regional political landscape. The adaptation of Arab states to the emerging multipolar world order was actively progressing, including their participation in key non-Western international organizations. The article also deals with the Arab world's approach to the conflict in Ukraine, with an emphasis on the efforts of the Arab countries to distance themselves as much as possible from the emerging confrontation between the Russian Federation and the West.