July 14, 2022
2 mins read

‘Hope Biden doesn’t turn Saudi Arabia against Russia’

Biden will make the case for greater oil production from OPEC nations to bring down gasoline prices when he meets Gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia this week…reports Asian Lite News

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that it hoped President Joe Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia would not be used to try to foster anti-Russian relations, just as the United States seeks to convince Riyadh to boost oil production amid soaring prices.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday that Biden will make the case for greater oil production from OPEC nations to bring down gasoline prices when he meets Gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia this week.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said that Russia, the world’s second largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia and the world’s biggest exporter of natural gas, highly valued cooperation with Saudi Arabia within the framework of OPEC+ group of world’s leading oil producers.

“We are within the framework of the OPEC + agreements, and we highly appreciate the work that we manage to do with our partners, including with leading partners such as Saudi Arabia,” he told a daily conference call with reporters.

“We highly appreciate our relations and our interaction with Riyadh and we certainly hope that the building of relations and the development of relations between Riyadh and other world capitals will in no way be directed against us.”

As the world faces one of the worst energy supply crunches since the Arab oil embargo in the 1970s, Biden has repeatedly urged the OPEC+ and Saudi Arabia to lift oil production faster than the group is already doing.

But major Gulf producers have little spare production capacity.

ALSO READ:Mohammed Ali Al Yamahi being crowned as Arab Reading Champion

Oil and gas exports, which constitute a significant share Russia’s state budget income, are the centrepiece of Moscow’s response to the sanctions the West has imposed over the conflict in Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin warned the West on Friday that continued sanctions against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine risked triggering catastrophic energy price rises for consumers around the world.

Putin says the West has fomented a global economic crisis with soaring inflation by imposing sanctions for what he calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine.

No shake hands

Ahead of Biden’s arrival in Israel, The Times of Israel reported, ministers were told on Monday that “because of scheduling pressure, COVID, and the hot weather, the U.S. president will not shake hands with the invited [guests at the airport arrival ceremony], and there will be no opportunity for personal photographs.”

Lawmakers were still invited to attend the welcoming ceremony, which took place just after Biden’s plane landed at the Ben Gurion International Airport, which is roughly 10 miles northwest of Jerusalem, the capital of Israel.

Previous Story

‘We will use force to prevent Iranian N-weapons’

Next Story

Ronaldo receives £105 m offer from Saudi Arabian club

Latest from Arab News

GAZA KILLINGS: War Crime?

Mobile Phone Footage Casts Doubt on Israeli Account of Ambulance Attack in Gaza Newly surfaced mobile phone footage has raised serious questions about the Israeli military’s justification for opening fire on a

GCC condemns Israeli airstrikes in Syria

GCC SG Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi affirmed that these airstrikes represent a continuation of efforts by the Israeli occupation forces to undermine and destabilise regional and international security Secretary General of the Gulf

Trump due in Saudi, UAE amid new tariffs

The GCC bloc, which includes the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain, has been hit with a 10% tariff, placing them among the lower-tiered rates US President Donald Trump has

Pakistan Day celebrated in Oman

On the occasion of Pakistan Day on March 23, a grand ceremony was held at the Embassy of Pakistan in Muscat, Oman.  The ceremony began with the recitation of the Holy Quran

Cleveland Clinic, G42 revolutionise healthcare with AI

The collaboration aims to enhance patient care, drive medical innovation, and optimise healthcare operations through AI-powered solutions In a groundbreaking partnership, Cleveland Clinic and Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence (AI) leader G42 have
Go toTop

Don't Miss

UAE Health Ministry enhances its future innovative tools

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has reported an

Antonio welcomes recent establishment of AU transition mission in Somalia

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the recent establishment of