U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for a visit aimed at strengthening relations between the two countries after years of deep disagreements over issues related to Iran, regional security, and oil prices. During his visit to Riyadh and Jeddah, Blinken is expected to meet with senior Saudi officials, possibly including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Blinken's visit, which lasts from June 6 to 8, comes after Riyadh's recent commitment to further reduce its oil production, a move likely to heighten tensions in U.S.-Saudi relations. Among the objectives of the visit are to realign with Riyadh on oil prices, counter Chinese and Russian influence in the region, and boost hopes for the eventual normalization of Saudi-Israeli relations.
Blinken stated before the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which supports Israel, that Washington has a "real interest concerning its national security" in promoting the normalization of diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, but noted that this would not happen quickly. Richard Goldberg, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, mentioned that dissuading Riyadh from strengthening ties with China could be the most critical aspect of Blinken's visit. He added that Blinken will need to clarify "why Chinese interests do not align with Saudi Arabia, and how a rapprochement in relations in a strategic manner with Beijing would hinder close relations with Washington."
