- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
- The trip aims to address years of tensions between Washington and Riyadh
- The disagreements stem from Saudi Arabia's selling of crude oil to global markets, partnering with Russia in OPEC+, and a China-brokered detente with Iran
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Saudi Arabia and met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday to address years of tensions between Washington and Riyadh.
The American official arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday as the crown prince has continued to clash with the Biden administration over several issues. These include its supply of crude oil to global markets, its willingness to partner with Russia in OPEC+, and its China-mediated detente deal with Iran.
Blinken Meets With Saudi Crown Prince
Furthermore, tensions are still present after United States President Joe Biden's commitment to making the kingdom a "pariah," or outcast, after the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, as per Fox News.
Despite conflicting stances between the two sides, a relationship remains due to Saudi Arabia's reliance on the United States as a security guarantor for the wider Middle East. This is a response to Iran's nuclear program, sharing common interests in achieving a lasting cease-fire in Sudan and ending the kingdom's years-long war in Yemen.
In a statement, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, Hussein Ibish, said it might not be readily observable. However, the relationship between Washington and Riyadh is stronger than a year ago. He added that while it may look more strained, it is overall stronger.
During the US secretary of state's meeting with the crown prince on Wednesday, the two officials talked about their "shared commitment to advance stability, security, and prosperity across the Middle East and beyond."
Addressing Tensions Between Washington and Riyadh
Blinken's trip to Saudi Arabia comes as Washington has struggled to steady its relationship with Riyadh in the last few years. This comes as the kingdom's de-facto ruler has dominated the decision-making within the region, according to Reuters.
The American diplomat's visit to the kingdom also came a few days after Saudi Arabia pledged to deepen its oil output cuts on top of a broader OPEC+ deal to limit supply. The decision comes amid the region's plan to boost flagging oil prices amid opposition from the Biden administration.
During the meeting, Blinken emphasized that bilateral relations between their countries were "strengthened by progress on human rights." The US secretary of state thanked the kingdom for its support during the recent evacuation of American citizens from Sudan and its assistance in diplomatic efforts to end the fighting between rival Sudanese factions.
Blinken's visit to Saudi Arabia is Washington's second recent high-level trip to the kingdom, and the secretary of state is set to meet with other Saudi officials during his mission that lasts for three days. The one before Blinken was White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan who traveled to the kingdom on May 7, said Aljazeera.
