President Biden has kicked off a process of reevaluating, and potentially altering, the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia following the announcement by a Saudi-led coalition of oil-producing nations that it would slash oil production.
That move by OPEC Plus last week to cut oil output by 2 million barrels a day could boost oil prices in the U.S. and worldwide, and its timing a month before the midterm elections was a particular political blow to Biden that some in the president’s circle took as a personal snub.
“I think the president’s been very clear that this is a relationship that we need to continue to reevaluate, that we need to be willing to revisit,” White House spokesman John Kirby said on CNN, reiterating Biden’s disappointment in the decision by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its partners.
“Certainly in light of the OPEC decision, I think that’s where he is,” Kirby said. “And he’s willing to work with Congress to think through what that relationship ought to look like going forward.”
Kirby, the strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council at the White House, said he had no announcements to make about where that process would lead, but said U.S. officials, including Biden, will “think about what the right relationship with Saudi Arabia needs to be going forward.”
Asked about a timetable, Kirby said, “I think the timeline is now, and I think he’s going to be willing to start to have those conversations right away.”
Biden administration officials had launched an extraordinary effort to press Saudi Arabia to produce more oil to compensate for the global shortage caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with the president personally visiting Saudi leaders in a trip to Jiddah in July. With last week’s announcement, Saudi Arabia rejected those entreaties, at least in part.
Officials had hoped that Biden’s trip to the kingdom would improve the Saudi relationship across a range of issues, including the global supply of oil.
The cut in oil production helps Russian President Vladimir Putin as he wages war on Ukraine and was seen as a possible trigger to increasing gas prices in the United States weeks before the midterm elections, when Democrats’ slim majorities in the House and Senate are in jeopardy.
When asked about a report that the Biden administration canceled an upcoming meeting involving Saudi Arabia on Iran policy in response to the OPEC Plus move, State Department spokesman Ned Price said that “mid-level” meetings will be rescheduled “as we determine what’s in our national interest.”
On Monday, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, criticized Saudi Arabia and called for an immediate freeze “on all aspects of our cooperation with Saudi Arabia.” Menendez also promised to wield his power at committee chairman to block any future arms sales.
Congressional anger and frustration with Saudi Arabia has escalated since the oil decision. On Tuesday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) introduced legislation to stop U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
“This simple yet urgent measure would halt U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia after their deeply offensive, destructive blunder: siding with Russia at this historic moment,” Blumenthal said. “Saudis must reverse their oil supply cuts, which aid and abet Russia’s savage criminal invasion, endanger the world economy, and threaten higher gas prices at U.S. pumps.”
The legislation would immediately pause all U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia, including military supplies, sales, and other weapons aid. It also would impose a one-year halt to all direct commercial sales and foreign military sales of weapons and munitions to Saudi Arabia.
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https://bexarcountynewsonline.com/biden-to-re-evaluate-u-s-relationship-with-saudi-arabia-white-house-says-the-washington-post/
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