Saudi Deputy Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman received a Cabinet-level welcome from the Biden administration in the kingdom's highest-ranking visit to Washington since President Joe Biden took office in January.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken became the second Cabinet official to meet the Saudi deputy defence minister. Discussions centred on regional security, the crisis in Lebanon and human rights.
“Secretary of State Antony Blinken joined the group for part of the meeting to discuss efforts to achieve a comprehensive, nationwide ceasefire and transition to a political process in Yemen, the need for economic reform and humanitarian relief for the Lebanese people, and other key bilateral issues, including human rights,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said.
The Saudi prince, brother of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, on Tuesday visited the Pentagon and met Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Mark Milley and Undersecretary of Defence for Policy Colin Kahl.
The visit focused on reaffirming the US-Saudi defence relationship and the “US commitment to helping Saudi Arabia defend its territory and its people,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.
Saudi Arabia has frequently been the target of drone attacks launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen, some of which have been aimed at civilian areas, including a school.
“The two leaders discussed efforts to end the war in Yemen and share the US-Saudi commitment to counter Iran's destabilising activities,” Mr Kirby said.
The prince also met Special US Envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman to talk about the latest developments in that region. They reviewed the kingdom’s efforts to support the security and stability of the African continent and its efforts to aid its progress and development.
Firas Maksad, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, said Prince Khalid's visit represented a “delicate balancing act” for the Biden administration.
Mr Biden is facing pressure from within his own Democratic Party, which is calling for more pressure on Riyadh, while he also needs to show the “appreciation of the importance of Saudi Arabia as a regional heavyweight and as a major player in global energy markets, particularly given the fragile state of the global economy,” Mr Maksad told The National.
“The Saudis have done their homework prior to the visit. They have taken several steps to soothe relations, including the release of detained activists, the announcement of unilateral ceasefire in Yemen, ending the diplomatic spat with Qatar and even cautiously engaging Iran,” he added.
Saudi-Iranian talks in Iraq are being led by Prince Khalid.
The White House said Prince Khalid started his visit by meeting US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Brett McGurk, director for the Middle East at the National Security Council. They discussed the US partnership with Saudi Arabia, regional security and “the US commitment to help Saudi Arabia defend its territory as it faces attacks from Iranian-aligned groups".
The situation in Yemen featured on the agenda in the meetings with US envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking, who has made six trips to Riyadh.
Washington is working to bring about a ceasefire in the Yemen conflict, which Saudi Arabia entered in 2015 at the request of the internationally recognised government, but attempts have been met with resistance from the Houthi rebels in the country, leading to exasperation in Washington.
Prince Khalid also met Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland and Counsellor Derek Chollet.
