
The Biden administration has warned Saudi Arabia it will face ‘consequences’ following the OPEC+ to cut oil production significantly last week. The cut will lead to higher oil prices, a move that will benefit Russia significantly as the war in Ukraine continues on. Since Saudi Arabia is the de facto leader of OPEC+ it has become a target for US frustration over the oil cartel’s latest move. President Biden issued the warning yesterday on the heels of a comment by the White House press secretary earlier in the day that the United States will move to reevaluate its relationship with Saudi Arabia. Policies will be reviewed in the coming weeks as Democratic politicians call for immediate actions to be taken against the Kingdom.
The heavy-handed rhetoric is intended to send a message. The administration has not had anywhere near the close relationship with Riyadh that President Trump enjoyed. Whether by happenstance or design, Biden has treated the Saudis with indifference and sometimes almost outright hostility since January, 2020. Yemen, the suspicious death of Jamal Khashoggi and early attempts to restart the nuclear deal with Iran have all caused suspicion and in some cases even damage to the US-Saudi alliance and relationship.
The impression I get is that the US is attaching a greater value to Ukraine rather than its strategic relationship with Saudi Arabia. In the short term this is understandable, given the rather precarious conditions of Ukrainian sovereignty until late in the summer of 2022. Yet the Biden administration needs to remember that Saudi Arabia is a long-term partner and ally of the US. Riyadh and Washington share a number of common interests. Some economic, and others of a more strategic, geopolitical nature. As I spoke of in an earlier post, Ukraine’s strategic value to the United States does not go beyond serving as an instrument to whittle down the Russian military and Moscow’s international influence and prestige.
The Biden administration does not have to select either or. If American diplomacy was more polished than it currently is, the needs and desires of both nations could be balanced and accommodations created. Unfortunately, the Biden administration and its foreign policy team has proven time and time again it is not up to the challenge of creating and pushing forward unilaterally to strengthen relationships and alliances vital to the United States.