Diplomatic Balancing Act: The High-Stakes U.S.-Saudi Talks

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to the White House aims to strengthen ties in commerce, technology, and security with the U.S. Discussions include security guarantees, AI technology access, and a civilian nuclear program, amid past controversies and ongoing regional tensions.

Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, visits the White House for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, aiming to deepen commercial, technological, and security ties amidst ongoing regional tensions and past controversies.

The meeting comes years after the 2018 killing of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi, a case linked to MBS by U.S. intelligence, although he refutes ordering the operation. Despite this, the focus is on strengthening diplomatic relations and revisiting past agreements.

Key topics include Saudi demands for security guarantees in exchange for oil exports, access to advanced technologies, and progress on a U.S.-Saudi civilian nuclear program. The discussions also touch on broader regional diplomacy, including Saudi-Israel normalization linked to Palestinian statehood issues.

(With inputs from agencies.)