New York, USA (CNN) – Statements by US officials to CNN about arranging a possible meeting between US President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sparked an interaction that highlighted the major shift in the US administration’s policy towards the kingdom, which Biden described in previous statements as “Out of place,” he said.
The meeting, expected to take place next month, will come after months of diplomatic activity and mark a turnaround for a US president who once declared Saudi Arabia “without social value.”
White House spokeswoman Karen-Jean-Pierre said earlier that two senior US officials visited Saudi Arabia this week for talks involving global energy supplies, Iran and other regional issues. She said US officials had not requested an increase in Saudi oil exports.
The spokeswoman stated that the meeting comes amid tension in Saudi-US relations, as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia rejected US calls to increase oil production that might lower oil prices and curb global inflation.
The drop in the oil price could also affect Russia’s war effort in Ukraine where Moscow relies on energy exports for a large portion of its revenue, while Jean-Pierre asserted that “demanding oil is simply wrong.”