President Biden strengthened the government of President Vladimir V. Putin and cut ties with Saudi Arabia after working with Russia to cut oil production in a move that could raise US gasoline prices just before the midterm elections. It’s being reassessed, a White House official said Tuesday.
Kirby, a senior government official and strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council, said, “The president knows this is a relationship that needs to continue to be re-evaluated and is willing to be re-examined. I think it’s very clear,” he said. at the White House, said on CNN“Of course, I think that’s his position in light of OPEC’s decision.”
Kirby suggested he would be lenient with the retaliation proposed by Democratic congressional leaders enraged by the oil production cuts announced last week by the international cartel known as OPEC+. Among other things, key Democrats want to curb U.S. security cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including arms sales, and strip OPEC members of legal immunity so they can be sued for violating U.S. antitrust laws. is proposing
“The president is clearly disappointed with OPEC’s decision and is willing to work with Congress as he considers what the right relationship with Saudi Arabia needs to move forward,” Kirby said. . he made an urgent sound. “The timeline is now and I think he’s willing to start those conversations right away,” he said. I don’t think we should wait long.”
The comments came a day after Senator Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. attacked Saudi Arabia for effectively aiding Russia He called for an immediate freeze on “all aspects of cooperation with Saudi Arabia” in its brutal invasion of Ukraine and vowed to use his powers to stop future arms sales.
President Biden
With the midterm elections approaching, here stands President Biden.
“There is room to play both sides of this conflict, either supporting the rest of the free world trying to stop a war criminal from violently wiping an entire country off the map, or supporting him. Not at all, Menendez said, “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia chose the latter in a terrible decision driven by economic self-interest.”
Second-ranked Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois said Tuesday morning that Saudi Arabia clearly wants Russia to win the war in Ukraine. “Let’s be very frank about this,” he told CNN. “It’s Putin and Saudi Arabia against the US.”
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Biden’s willingness to consider retaliatory action represents a major shift for Trump, who has sought to improve relations with Saudi Arabia in recent months, with the White House responding to last week’s production cut decision by the Saudi-led OPEC+ group. reflects the deep anger of Up to 2 million barrels of oil production per day.
Despite an election pledge to make him an international “pariah” in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the president’s visit to Saudi Arabia in July and banging his fist on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman It absorbed the withered criticism. For Washington Post and US Residents. The CIA has determined that Prince Mohammed ordered the operation that led to his 2018 murder and amputation of Khashoggi.
Mr. Biden overcame his reservations and joined advisers who argued that restoring ties with Saudi Arabia was worth the political blow. world’s largest oil producer. No specific announcements were made during a visit to Jeddah in July, but US officials said at the time that they had agreed with Saudi Arabia to increase oil production in the fall and reduce gasoline prices ahead of important parliamentary elections. He said he agreed with
Saudi Arabia’s ignoring US pleas and making the opposite decision last week is a blow to Mr Biden and further criticism of Mr Biden, even from fellow Democrats who argue Saudi Arabia should be punished. Became. Three House Democrats have introduced legislation calling for the withdrawal of US troops and defense systems from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
After falling for more than three months, gas prices rose again, Averaged 12 cents per gallon last week to $3.92, according to AAA, well below its June peak of just over $5. The White House was counting on lower gas prices to bolster Democrats’ efforts to retain control of both houses of Congress in the Nov. 8 election.
Washington’s anger at Saudi Arabia has been exacerbated in recent days by Russia’s recent airstrikes on civilian targets across Ukraine. increasingly directed at Saudi intentions to support its aggression.