WORLD NEWS | White House national security adviser meets Saudi prince

DUBAI, May 8 (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden’s top national security aide met with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia Sunday night amid long-running tensions between the White House and the kingdom.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency acknowledged that Jack Sullivan and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met in Jeddah, the Red Sea port city now at the center of sea evacuations amid the fighting in Sudan.

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National news reports said only that the men reviewed “strategic relationships” at meetings that included other U.S. officials.

Sullivan then took part in meetings with Ajit Doval, the crown prince and national security adviser to India, and Sheikh Tanu bin Zayed Al Nahyan, national security adviser to the neighboring United Arab Emirates.

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The White House did not immediately acknowledge the meeting or provide information about it. Saudi state media also did not immediately release video or photos of the meeting.

After the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Biden campaigned on a promise to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah.” U.S. intelligence agencies believe the killing was carried out on the orders of the crown prince, although Riyadh denies this. Biden did, however, visit Saudi Arabia last July as the U.S. sought Saudi Arabia’s help in reining in energy prices as Russia’s war on Ukraine intensified.

Since then, Biden has vowed to have “consequences” for OPEC+ production cuts, including Russia. Benchmark Brent crude is currently trading at $75 a barrel as global markets remain concerned about countries raising interest rates to fight inflation and US banks facing turmoil.

For its part, Saudi Arabia is seeking to détente with Iran after years of tension, despite U.S. sanctions on Tehran as it rapidly advances over its nuclear program. That could help end the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen’s war. The kingdom has also played a role in bringing Syria back to the Arab League as the United States and others remain opposed to the rule of President Bashar al-Assad in the country’s long war. (Associated Press)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)