US President Joe Biden will take action on Saudi Arabia after consultations with Congress. This was announced on Monday, October 17, during a briefing by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
“At this stage, the president has time for consultations and negotiations that will allow him to make a decision <…> He definitely wants to consult with Congress,” she said.
Jean-Pierre added that Washington’s possible moves towards Riyadh in the wake of the recent OPEC+ decision to cut oil production suggest a change in the US approach to security assistance.
The spokeswoman recalled that Biden had repeatedly spoken about the need to change the type of US relations with Saudi Arabia.
On the same day, Financial Times journalist Andrew England pointed out that if Biden decides to implement his threats, including banning arms sales and reconsidering security cooperation, then Washington could lose a valuable ally in the Middle East. However, the author noted that due to the policy of the American leader, the allied relations between Washington and Riyadh are now under threat.
In early October, OPEC+ members agreed to cut oil production by two million barrels per day starting in November, extending the deal until the end of 2023. Despite the energy crisis and rising energy prices in other regions, this step was supported by all members of the alliance, including Russia.
The decision caused dissatisfaction with the American administration, which demanded an increase in oil production. So, in response, US Senator Chris Murphy said that after the Saudis sided with Russia and OPEC +, President Biden should “reconsider relations with Saudi Arabia.”
Meanwhile, the Saudi Foreign Ministry emphasized that the OPEC + decision was dictated solely by economic considerations and rejected US accusations of supporting the Russian Federation, at a time when Western countries are striving to reduce dependence on Russian energy resources.
Moscow, in turn, noted that such a measure is aimed solely at stabilizing the oil market.
The PRC believes that Washington will not dare to worsen relations with Riyadh. According to Chinese experts, if Biden breaks off relations with Saudi Arabia, this could affect the results of the midterm elections in the United States and exacerbate inflation in the country, which will directly affect the Democrats’ votes.
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