According to the UK Government’s readout of 26 July 2026, the Prime Minister spoke with the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on Sunday 26 July. The conversation opened with condolences following the death of the Amir’s father, Sheikh Hamad. Downing Street said the Prime Minister referred to Sheikh Hamad’s respected leadership and to his role in strengthening relations between the United Kingdom and Qatar. That framing placed the exchange in both a personal and bilateral diplomatic context from the outset.
The discussion then moved to the ongoing conflict in the region. In the Government’s account, the Prime Minister thanked the Amir for Qatar’s continuing efforts to mediate between the sides and to help restore peace. That wording is significant because it presents Qatar not simply as a regional partner, but as a state the UK is actively engaging on mediation. On the Government’s own account, London is continuing to treat Doha as an important channel for diplomatic contact at a moment of acute regional tension.
Gaza was identified as the central policy issue in the call. According to Downing Street, both leaders shared deep concern about the crisis and agreed that their teams would work together to help secure long-lasting peace between Palestine and Israel through a two-state solution. The reference to a two-state solution gives the statement a wider policy frame than short-term crisis management alone. In this account, the Government linked immediate concern over Gaza with a stated political objective for longer-term settlement, rather than treating the two issues separately.
The call also carried a clear defence message. Downing Street said the Prime Minister underlined his interest in strengthening the UK-Qatar defence partnership following what the statement described as the successful deployment of the Joint Typhoon Squadron in support of Qatar’s defence during the conflict. That passage indicates that the bilateral relationship is being presented on two tracks at once: diplomatic coordination on regional instability and continued security cooperation. The Government’s wording suggests that defence ties remain an active part of the relationship, not a background issue.
Ukraine was addressed more briefly, but it remained part of the conversation. The Government said the Prime Minister reiterated the need to secure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine in response to Russia’s illegal invasion. Its inclusion in a call otherwise focused on the Middle East shows the breadth of the UK-Qatar agenda. It also shows that high-level bilateral contacts with Gulf partners are continuing to carry messages tied to the UK’s wider foreign policy position on European security and territorial sovereignty.
The statement concluded by saying both leaders looked forward to speaking again soon. Although concise, the readout set out a clear pattern for further official engagement between London and Doha. On the Government’s account, the call combined condolence diplomacy, Gaza coordination, support for a two-state solution, defence cooperation and Ukraine in a single exchange. For policy readers, that combination matters because it shows the UK presenting Qatar as a partner across mediation, security and broader international diplomacy.