Secret trip of US officials to Saudi Arabia to discuss oil

The American-Israeli website Axius wrote in a report on Wednesday, local time: Biden is considering a visit to Saudi Arabia as part of his planned trip to the Middle East at the end of June. The sources said that the agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia on these issues is very important for the meeting.

Biden once said he would “reject” Saudi Arabia, and US-Saudi relations have soured over a number of issues, including the Saudi human rights record and the assassination of Washington Post correspondent Jamal Khashgechi.

According to sources, White House Middle East Coordinator Brett McGurk and State Department spokesman for Energy Amos Hochstein arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to meet with senior Saudi officials.

Increasing oil production has been a long-standing demand of the Biden government from the Saudis. But the Saudis have so far refused to accept the request.

Biden needs Saudi Arabia to increase oil production in the run-up to the midterm congressional elections.

The United States also wants Saudi Arabia to increase oil production so that it can impose a range of sanctions on Russian oil amid the war in Ukraine.

The Saudis have so far adhered to their agreement with Russia on the level of oil production. But the deal will expire in September, which could provide an opportunity to agree with the United States on future oil production levels.