US President Joe Biden arrived at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah, on Friday, to meet King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and was received by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Video | #Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman the moment he received US President Biden at the Peace Palace #news#SaudiUSSummit#Saudi_American_Summit pic.twitter.com/bx4YqceoIG
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Biden had arrived at Jeddah airport on a historic flight from Israel, and was received by the Emir of Makkah Al-Mukarramah region, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal at the airport.
No US president has ever flown directly from Israel to Saudi Arabia, but the visit comes amid signs of openness between the two countries, which do not have diplomatic relations.
Hours before Biden’s flight, Riyadh announced the opening of its airspace to “all air carriers”, which of course means planes coming from Israel, in a decision Biden described as “historic” and Israel welcomed.
Biden is expected to meet in Jeddah with King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to a US official.
Biden will also meet in the kingdom with officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council, Egypt, Iraq and Jordan.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that Biden will discuss energy security in his meetings in Saudi Arabia.
The United States is seeking to persuade Saudi Arabia to increase its oil production in order to compensate for the shortfall caused by the Ukraine war and sanctions once morest Russia.
“We will discuss accelerating energy production and hope to see additional steps by OPEC+ in the coming weeks,” Sullivan said.
But the US official ruled out an immediate announcement of an increase in oil supplies at the conclusion of the Jeddah summit.
The US national security adviser confirmed that Biden would raise the issue of human rights during his visit to Saudi Arabia.
Relations between Riyadh and Washington were strained following the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in his country’s consulate in Istanbul. Biden directed several criticisms of the Saudi crown prince, who concluded an American intelligence report that he approved the operation, which the kingdom denied.
The talks will also address the position on Iran, Saudi Arabia’s most prominent regional rival.
Prior to heading to Saudi Arabia, Biden met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, in Bethlehem, following visiting Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem, where he announced a $100 million aid package for the medical sector.
The US president’s Middle Eastern trip began in Israel, where he signed the “Jerusalem Declaration of the Strategic Partnership between the United States and Israel” in which Washington pledged to use “all elements of its national power to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.”
