US President Joe Biden has promised leaders of countries in the Middle East that the US will remain engaged in the region. “We will not run away and create a vacuum for China, Russia or Iran to step in,” Biden said at a summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the region’s main political and economic alliance.
Ties between the US and several Gulf countries have cooled somewhat in recent years. For example, the attempt by the US to sign another nuclear deal with Iran is not going well in the region. Conversely, the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, among others, do not support the American attempt to isolate Moscow economically and politically because of the war in Ukraine.
The summit is the final part of Biden’s first work trip to the Middle East. He met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday, a visit not uncontroversial as bin Salman is held responsible by US intelligence services for the murder of critical journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. During the visit, Biden discussed the role of the US in the Middle East. East also the influence of Iran. He also wants to get more oil to put an end to the rising fuel prices caused by the war in Ukraine.
Bin Salman warned at the summit that instituting “unrealistic” plans to emit greenhouse gases will fuel inflation. “Adopting unrealistic policies to reduce greenhouse gases by excluding major energy sources will lead to unparalleled inflation and rising energy prices in the coming years, increasing unemployment and magnifying serious social and security problems,” the prince said.