Abstract: This research paper examines Europe's willingness and ability to play a role in the Gulf, and describes how this fits in with America's role there. It describes US-European relations in the Gulf since the Cold War and outlines three possible scenarios: weak strategic convergence with America, notably on the subjects of Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the war on terror; some transatlantic cooperation involving NATO, especially through the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, and; an enhanced EU presence in the region, including in the form of a strategic partnership. The paper tackles the question of whether Europe can be a security player in the Gulf and examines the current lack of synergy between the US and Europe over Gulf issues.