On November 18-19, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, arrived in the USA on an official visit. His White House talks with President Donald Trump generated significant interest in Washington media. The negotiations are expected to focus on the oil market, regional security, defense agreements, and geopolitical projects focused on the future.
When it comes to this visit, the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul in 2018 is being noted once again. The singer lived in the USA, worked for the Washington Post, and his disappearance and murderous murder caused heated controversy in the world. US intelligence concluded that bin Salman authorized the operation, and the prince took responsibility as the general leader, although he stated that he did not directly order it.
Nevertheless, seven years later, amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, the arrival of the Saudi leader in Washington is revealing new realities. Bin Salman is also positioning himself as a mediator to restore regional balance: improving relations with Iran, efforts to cease fire in Gaza, supporting Syria's return to the Arab world - this is a new turning point in the kingdom's foreign policy.
New defense agreements will be at the center of the visit. Saudi Arabia worked with the United States for many years based on the "oil security" formula, but in 2019, Iran's strike on Saudi oil facilities and Washington's failure to respond effectively weakened this agreement. Currently, Riyadh is demanding strong defense guarantees from the US in exchange for normalizing relations with Israel. Israel, however, connects this only with a legal obligation regarding the Palestinian state - this is the biggest obstacle.
The Saudi side has also intensified negotiations to purchase up to 48 F-35 aircraft. It is said that important steps have been taken on this issue within the Pentagon. However, Congressional confirmation, Israel's position, and the region's vulnerability are complicating the process.
As part of the visit, Bin Salman is seeking new cooperation not only in defense but also in the fields of artificial intelligence and nuclear energy. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia aims to transition to economic diversification within the framework of "Vision 2030" reforms, and for this, it needs agreements from the USA on high-level chips, AI projects, and civilian nuclear programs. This makes the country stronger in technological competition with the UAE and Iran.
Washington is cautiously approaching the nuclear science agreement: it is difficult to sign the document without agreeing to Saudi Arabia's demand for uranium enrichment or recycling of spent fuel. Because these operations could be a step towards achieving nuclear weapons. At the same time, analysts say that it is not excluded that preliminary agreements or roadmaps on nuclear energy will be announced during the visit.
Mohammed bin Salman's current visit has the potential to change not only the relationship between the two countries but also the balance in the entire Middle East. The new US-Saudi security architecture, cooperation in AI and nuclear technologies, and the future of the oil market are all major issues affecting the planet's geopolitical landscape.
We will soon know which agreements will be signed during the face-to-face meeting.
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