US President Donald Trump is set to host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House next month, according to reports, in a bid to deepen security, trade and diplomatic relations.
US media reported that the meeting − their first in the US since Mr Trump took office for a second term in January − will take place on November 18. The Crown Prince last visited Washington in 2018.
The White House has not yet officially confirmed the date.
They last met in May, on Mr Trump's first major international trip of his second term that took him to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.
This Washington visit is likely to focus on negotiating a formal security pact, similar to the one reached to between the US and Qatar.
The urgency comes after Israel launched an air strike against Hamas leaders in Qatar in September. The attack killed several members of the Hamas negotiating team, as well as a Qatari security officer.
The strike outraged Qatari and US officials, and it also raised concerns among Gulf nations about the strength of American security guarantees.
In late September, Mr Trump issued an executive order to guarantee Qatar’s security, including a promise to take military action if the country comes under attack. The move appeared to be aimed at reassuring Doha that such a strike would not happen again.
The visit comes after a fragile ceasefire was reached in Gaza this month. This may open up the potential to discuss establishing ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel, which the Trump administration views as a cornerstone of its broader Middle East strategy.
During his first term, Mr Trump championed the Abraham Accords, a series of US-brokered agreements that established diplomatic ties between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.
Reaching a Saudi-Israeli agreement would represent a major breakthrough for the region. Progress remains tied to Saudi conditions, however, including tangible progress on the creation of a Palestinian state and guarantees that Israel would not annex the occupied West Bank − conditions Israel has so far resisted.
Israel has, however, expressed a strong interest in establishing ties with Saudi Arabia, viewing it as a major diplomatic and economic opportunity.
During the Crown Prince's visit, the US and Saudi Arabia are expected to announce expanded partnerships in artificial intelligence, energy and infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia is reportedly considering additional investments in US technology and manufacturing sectors, as well as encouraging American companies to establish artificial intelligence research hubs in the kingdom.
Also potentially on the agenda is nuclear energy collaboration, with the US offering technical assistance for civilian nuclear projects.
