Biden Rejected By Saudis, UAE As He Tries to Replace Banned Russian Oil

Now the Gulf states are trying to squeeze Biden and hold the U.S. hostage, as the “mother of all sanctions” economic warfare package against Russia starts backfiring against Washington and its allies.

GCC monarchies have now signaled to a desperate White House they won’t help ease surging oil prices unless Washington supports them in their illegal war against Yemen, and elsewhere…

(WASHINGTON DC) – The White House tried unsuccessfully to arrange calls between President Biden and the de facto leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as the United States worked to build international support for Ukraine and to contain a spike in oil prices, officials in the Middle East and the United States said.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates have both refused US requests to speak to Mr Biden in recent weeks, officials said, as Saudi and Emirati officials became more vocal in recent weeks in their criticism of America. politics in the Gulf.

“A phone call was expected, but it didn’t happen,” a US official said of the planned talk between Saudi Prince Mohammed and Mr Biden. “It was part of opening the tap [of Saudi oil].”

Mr Biden spoke to Prince Mohammed’s 86-year-old father, King Salman, on February 9, when the pair reiterated their country’s longstanding partnership. The UAE Foreign Ministry said the call between Mr Biden and Sheikh Mohammed would be postponed.

The Saudis have signaled that their relationship with Washington has deteriorated under the Biden administration, and they want more support for their intervention in Yemen’s civil war, help for their own civilian nuclear program as Iran moves forward and legal immunity for Prince Mohammed in the United States, Saudi officials said. The crown prince faces multiple lawsuits in the United States, including for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

The White House has been working to repair relations with two key Middle Eastern countries it needs on its side as oil prices top $130 a barrel for the first time in nearly 14 years. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are the only two major oil producers capable of pumping millions of additional barrels of oil – capacity which, if used, could help calm the crude market at a time when US gasoline prices are at high levels.

SOURCE: REUTERS

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