A little less than three years after promising to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah state” over the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, President Joe Biden arrived in the kingdom Friday for meetings with Saudi leadership — including sharing a fist bump with the man accused of ordering Khashoggi’s murder.
Biden arrived in Jeddah Friday and attended a formal meeting with Saudi King Salman, but — given the king’s deteriorating health — the working session was conducted by Mohammad Bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler. The White House did not acknowledge Biden will be meeting directly with MBS until publishing the schedule Thursday night.
Upon arriving at the Al Salam Royal Palace Friday, Biden and bin Salman shared a fist bump and then went into a series of meetings — a moment that neatly symbolized the change in Biden’s attitude toward the Crown Prince since his campaign trail comments in November 2019.
For weeks, Biden has been downplaying his meeting with the Crown, Prince whom the US has said sanctioned Khashoggi’s murder. The Crown Prince has denied involvement.
“I’m not going to meet with MBS. I’m going to an international meeting, and he’s going to be part of it,” Biden told reporters last month.
But he won’t meet with other world leaders at the GCC+3 summit until Saturday and Friday will remain focused on the Saudis.
White House officials have accepted they will be heavily criticized for the meeting, including by members of Biden’s own party, but have decided to move ahead because they see it as the most practical option, acknowledging it is much easier to work with the Saudis than without them.
While no explicit announcement on raising oil production is expected immediately after Biden leaves Jeddah, officials anticipate one could be announced in the coming weeks, in addition to progress on the Yemen ceasefire.
Biden’s working visit with MBS is seen as a chance to reset the relationship, and officials say, depending on how the meeting goes, Biden could begin communicating with MBS directly during calls, which he has declined to do so far.
The President has repeatedly defended his decision to travel to Saudi Arabia and meet with MBS, maintaining his administration wants to lead in the region and not create a vacuum for Russia and China to fill. But the trip has been highly scrutinized and the decision to meet with MBS is a significant departure from Biden’s pledge on the campaign trail to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah” state.
Source: CNN
