US President Joe Biden confirmed the possibility of his visit to Saudi Arabia, amid speculations that the visit will take place at the end of this June.
Biden said in his speech, Friday evening, said, “There is a possibility that I will go to countries in the Middle East, and Saudi Arabia may be one of them. My position requires me to move to support peace in the Middle East.”
On Thursday, June 2, the American newspaper New York Times quoted officials, who requested anonymity, that Biden has decided to visit Riyadh “as part of a pre-scheduled trip to Europe and Israel.”
They explained that during his visit to Riyadh, Biden will meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as leaders of other Arab countries, including Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and the UAE.
They explained that during his visit to Riyadh, Biden will meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as leaders of other Arab countries, including Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and the UAE.
On May 19, CNN quoted sources as saying that Biden is likely to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the first time next month.
According to the channel, officials in the Biden administration have held talks with the Saudi administration, during the past months, in order to arrange the direct meeting that will take place between the two sides.
“Bloomberg” agency also quoted sources that the US President may meet with the Saudi Crown Prince next month, apparently to end the escalating tensions between the two countries since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February.
A state of tension has clouded relations since Biden’s accession to the White House, in early 2021, given the sharp criticism he made against the kingdom during his election campaign regarding human rights.
After arriving in power, Biden did not make any phone calls with Bin Salman, in addition to allowing the publication of an intelligence report proving the latter’s approval of the kidnapping or killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Biden has scaled back US support for the kingdom in his efforts to end the Yemen war, but he has continued to provide defensive weapons and has recently returned Patriot missile batteries to support the Saudis’ ability to fend off Houthi attacks.
Riyadh’s insistence on not pumping more oil to allay global market fears of the repercussions of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on energy supplies and the United States and Britain’s embargo on Russian oil pushed Washington toward resolving disputes.
In recent months, the Biden administration has ramped up its cooperation with Riyadh on a range of issues, particularly in seeking to end the eight-year Saudi-led war in neighbouring Yemen.
