Axios reported that U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will visit Saudi Arabia to discuss a "major deal" with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which includes normalization with Israel and a defense treaty. The U.S. news outlet cited four American and Israeli officials, stating that Sullivan's visit "is part of the White House's efforts to draft a defense treaty between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, along with understandings regarding U.S. support for a Saudi civilian nuclear program."
The report added that U.S. officials hope to reach a "bilateral agreement" with Saudi Arabia during the visit, which will then be presented to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It noted that the Israeli side of the agreement "includes a commitment to a path leading to a two-state solution."
An Israeli official commented, "There has been significant progress in the talks between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia regarding their draft defense treaty. They want to finalize their side of the deal before presenting it to us, telling us: accept it or leave it."
A U.S. official mentioned that Sullivan will engage in extensive consultations on several issues, clarifying: "He hasn't visited Saudi Arabia in a while, and there is a lot to discuss."
