Yep, you are right.
I will do exactly that.
They have been at war for quite a while now. I sent them Messages several times about making peace and they still "brotherly" with me. Even once they both answer that they would sue for peace, but they didn't, the war continued the same.
Now the Jraenar Empire have entered the picture, so Xiati now have my empire in the south, the Krill (at war) on the right, and the Jraenar on the left.
The future looks grim for those little Xiati colonies....