Biden eyes Qatar as major non-NATO ally
The upgrade in ties comes as the United States is seeking Doha's help in supplying natural gas to Europe.
US President Joe Biden notified Congress today of a decision to designate Qatar a major non-NATO ally.
Biden revealed the decision during a meeting in the Oval Office with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who on Monday became the first Gulf leader to visit Washington during Biden’s presidency.
The designation, which Biden described as “long overdue,” came the same day as Qatar Airways Group and Boeing announced a $34 billion deal that he said “will support tens of thousands of good-paying US jobs here in America.”
Why it matters: The move would formally upgrade the two countries’ defense ties at a time when the United States is seeking Qatar’s assistance providing alternative sources of natural gas and oil to Europe in order to bolster political resolve against Moscow as it threatens to invade Ukraine.
