President Joe Biden formally invited the leader of the United Arab Emirates to the United States by the end of the year as he kicked off day two in Saudi Arabia with a trio of meetings with Arab leaders. 

'Challenges you face today only make it a heck of a lot more important we spend time together,' he told UAE President Sheik Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. 'I want to formally invite you to the States.'

The Sheik, who assumed office in May, conceded that he was new to the job, but working hard. 

The 79-year-old Biden, who won his first federal election in 1972, joked that he was new too, getting a laugh from the Sheik. 

The UAE is part of the 'I2U2' that met partially in-person and part virtually on Thursday, while Biden was holding meetings with Israel's Prime Minister Yair Lapid - part of the president's four day trip to the Middle East. 

The I2U2 consists of the United States, Israel, the UAE and India. 

UAE's President Sheik Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and India's Narendra Modi Narendra participated virtually. 

But UAE's leader met in-person with Biden in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Saturday as part of the GCC + 3 - bringing together leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman - as well as the heads of state of the United States, Egypt and Iraq. 

Biden will again be face-to-face with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the leaders take a 'family photo' together - and spend the afternoon in meetings. 

On Friday, after Biden became the first U.S. president to fly between Tel Aviv, Isreal and the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, Biden greeted MBS with a fist-bump, a gesture that received criticism from allies of slain Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. President Joe Biden (right) formally invited United Arab Emirates President Sheik Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (left) to the United States when they met Friday afternoon in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia