PARIS, France - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday in Jeddah, amid changing dynamics in the Middle East.
According to the State Department, Blinken and the Crown Prince discussed ways to enhance cooperation in various fields, especially in the clean energy and technology sectors. They also talked about efforts to resolve conflicts in Sudan and Yemen, the joint fight against the Islamic State group and the possibility of establishing relations with Israel.
Blinken also expressed concern over the high energy prices that have affected the global economy after Russia’s attack on Ukraine last year.
The meeting came after Saudi Arabia and Iran, long-time rivals in the region reached a deal in March mediated by China, the rising power making inroads in the Middle East. The US offered cautious support for the deal that was signed in China.
Blinken’s three-day visit to the oil-rich kingdom will also include a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Riyadh on Wednesday.
