Should Saudi Crown Prince Be Supported? "US Biden Faces Pressure to Improve Relations"

President Joe Biden of the United States [Photo by AP]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Amid soaring oil prices due to Russia's airstrikes on Ukraine, the Biden administration in the United States is struggling to devise countermeasures, and voices within the Biden government are reportedly calling for improved relations with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Bin Salman.

On the 21st (local time), Bloomberg News reported that President Biden had shown a cold attitude toward Crown Prince Bin Salman and was reluctant to have a close relationship, but opinions are emerging that this stance should be reconsidered. Several U.S. administration officials have been persuading President Biden that ignoring him, who is effectively the head of Saudi Arabia, does not help U.S. foreign policy goals.

President Biden strongly criticized Crown Prince Bin Salman during his presidential campaign in 2018, accusing him of involvement in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, who criticized the Saudi royal family. At that time, he vowed to hold senior Saudi leaders accountable and criticized the kingdom's leadership by saying it had "no value of social restraint." The close relationship between Crown Prince Bin Salman and former President Donald Trump also influenced this stance.

Crown Prince Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia
[Photo by Reuters]

However, Saudi Arabia is a key U.S. ally in the Middle East, a major country that shakes the oil market, and a significant purchaser of U.S. weapons. Maintaining distance is disadvantageous for the U.S., and especially in the current situation where an increase in crude oil production is necessary, the U.S. administration appears to judge that Saudi support is absolutely essential.

Bloomberg, citing multiple sources, reported that both sides tried to arrange the first phone call between President Biden and Crown Prince Bin Salman, but the tense relationship is so deep that it is taking time to make it happen. The White House also responded that reports claiming the U.S. requested a call with Saudi Arabia but was refused were completely false.

Meanwhile, international oil prices surged more than 7% on news that the European Union (EU) is considering banning imports of Russian oil. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, the April West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil price closed at $112.12 per barrel, up $7.42 (7.1%) from the previous session. On the London ICE Futures Exchange, May Brent crude also soared 7.1% ($7.69) to $115.62 per barrel.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.