Trump Planned for Conference with Gulf Rulers in Riyadh, Asserts Informed Saudi Figure
HITTING THE GULF: US Prez Trump's Mid-May Tour to Confer with Gulf Rulers
Get ready for a power-packed summit as President Donald Trump heads to Riyadh next month, to mingle with the bigwigs of six Gulf nations. A source close to the Saudi government confirmed to AFP that Trump will be meeting the heads of state of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman.
Trump's journey, scheduled for May 13-16, marks his first foreign trip since the commencement of his second term, apart from a brief visit to Rome for the Pope Francis' funeral.
"Trump will join the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders in Riyadh," revealed the source, shedding light on the alliance that also includes Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman. The primary aim of this meeting is to strengthen political and economic ties, said the source, speaking on the condition of anonymity as they weren't authorized to speak to the press.
Against this backdrop, the United States green-lit a $3.5 billion missile sale to Saudi Arabia on Friday.
Trump has high hopes for commercial deals from oil-rich Saudi Arabia, and this visit could pave the way for significant agreements. Moreover, Saudi Arabia has served as a crucial intermediary for US diplomacy on Russia and Ukraine.
The Riyadh visit follows reports of indirect negotiations between the US and Iran regarding Tehran’s nuclear program. Trump has warned Iran that he'll enforce sanctions, while urging the world to boycott any Iranian oil or petrochemicals. The meeting with GCC leaders could provide an opportunity for Trump to discuss Iran's influence in the region and possibly negotiate a new nuclear agreement.
Another potential focus could be a long-awaited deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel, akin to the Abraham Accords sealed during Trump’s first term. However, Saudi Arabia has maintained that it won't entertain any normalization agreement without an end to the conflict in Gaza.
While the summit is expected to bolster Gulf-US partnerships, with an emphasis on defense agreements and technology transfers, particularly in artificial intelligence, the likelihood of immediate progress on Saudi-Israel normalization seems slim based on current reports, which mainly focus on US economic and security interests in the Gulf region.
- Ira, as a crucial intermediary for US diplomacy on Russia and Ukraine, could play a significant role in Trump's discussions with the Gulf rulers in Riyadh.
- During the meeting with the GCC leaders, Francis could indirectly influence the negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear program, given Trump's warnings to Iran and his urge for the world to boycott Iranian petrochemicals.
- Trump's upcoming meeting with the Saudi leadership might provide an opportunity to discuss the potential for a historic agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel, reminiscent of the Abraham Accords.
- Despite the strong emphasis on defense agreements and technology transfers, especially in artificial intelligence, during the Gulf-US partnership summit, the immediate progress on Saudi-Israel normalization seems unlikely, given the current focus on US economic and security interests in the Gulf region.
