Fuel Shortage forces US President to change policy on Saudi Arabia, re

New York: US President Biden, who had adopted a policy to go against Saudi Arabia attaching more importance to the nuclear deal with Iran, had made significant changes to the US foreign policy. At the same time, President Biden had decided to encourage rebels from Yemen, which posed a challenge to Saudi security. The decision to reduce weapons supply to Saudi was also part of the same policy. But the policies of President Biden have backfired. A leading US daily has retorted that following the fuel shortage created following the Ukraine war, the Biden administration is forced to change its policies regarding Saudi.

The Biden administration had demanded that Saudi, which leads the oil-producing countries, should increase fuel production to bring the fuel prices under control. But upset with the policies of the Biden administration over the last year, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is not willing to oblige, confirmed the US daily. The concerned daily pointed to the fuel prices announced by Saudi on Monday.

Saudi foreign ministry lashed out ‘Houthi rebels from Yemen are launching attacks on the Saudi oil projects. In this scenario, Saudi cannot be held responsible for the fuel shortage in the international markets.’ At the same time, Saudi has demanded that if the fuel supply is to be kept in order, the international community should think about actions against the Houthi rebels. Hence, the US daily pointed out that even if the Biden administration indicates changes to its policies, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is unwilling to cooperate.

The daily cited the interview given by the Saudi Crown Prince to a US weekly. Crown Prince Mohammed criticized the US administration, ‘I don’t care what US President Joe Biden thinks.’ Also, Saudi has an investment worth $800 billion in the United States. Crown Prince Mohammed warned that Saudi might consider withdrawing this investment from the United States. The US daily drew attention to this.

Although King Salman is the ruler of Saudi, the government is in the hands of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He is known as the future king of Saudi. Despite this, President Biden avoided calling Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The daily claimed that even as President Biden is keen to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman avoided his calls.

Thus, some senior administrative officials have tried to convince President Biden in this scenario. The United States cannot formulate its foreign policy ignoring Crown Prince Mohammed. The daily said that these officials are trying to convince President Biden that Saudi has to be a plan of action given the fuel shortage created due to the Russia-Ukraine war.