 "F-35 jets, nuclear pact and more: MBS secures key deals on US visit as Trump designates Saudi non-Nato ally")
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman’s visit to the US was reportedly fruitful, as the two countries signed a slew of deals, including the sales of F-35 jets and a nuclear agreement.
The meeting underscores a key relationship - between the world’s biggest economy and the top oil exporter, which Trump has made a high priority in his second term.
MBS’s visit to the US, the first since 2018, following the murder of an American journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, was crucial in normalising ties between the two countries. Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, travelled to the kingdom and met with the Saudi prince, but he stopped short of hosting him at the White House.
Which deals marked MBS’s visit?
The United States and Saudi Arabia signed agreements on civil nuclear energy and the sale of cutting-edge US F-35 warplanes during a visit Tuesday by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the White House said.
The two countries ratified a “joint declaration” on civil nuclear energy that “builds the legal foundation for a decades-long, multi-billion-dollar nuclear energy partnership” in line with “strong nonproliferation standards,” the White House said in a statement.
The two sides also signed a Strategic Defense Agreement, which “fortifies deterrence across the Middle East,” the White House said. It provided few details of the agreement, which appeared to fall short of the congressionally ratified NATO-style treaty Saudi Arabia initially sought from Trump.
The two countries also signed a joint declaration on the completion of negotiations on civil nuclear energy cooperation, which the White House said would build the legal foundation for a long-term nuclear energy partnership.
Sitting next to Trump, bin Salman promised to increase his country’s US investment to $1 trillion from a $600 billion pledge he made when Trump visited Saudi Arabia in May. But he offered no details or timetable.
Quick Reads
View AllTrump designates Saudi a non-Nato ally
Trump hosted a gala dinner for MBS, which was attended by a number of high-profile officials and celebrities, including football player Cristiano Ronaldo and Elon Musk.
During the dinner, the president announced that he was designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally.
“Tonight, I’m pleased to announce that we’re taking our military cooperation to even greater heights by formally designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, which is something that is very important to them,” Trump said.
“And I’m just telling you now for the first time, because they wanted to keep a little secret for tonight,” Trump said of the designation, which only 19 other countries have previously received.
With inputs from agencies
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