Biden says he won't ask Saudi Arabia to pump more oil during trip
President Joe Biden also downplayed his expected meetings with Saudi leaders, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
President Joe Biden said Thursday the purpose of his upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia is not persuading the kingdom to boost oil output, but he has encouraged the Gulf region more broadly to help calm energy markets roiled by Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“No, I’m not going to ask them,” Biden told a news conference in Madrid. “All the Gulf states are meeting. I've indicated to them that I thought they should be increasing oil production generically, not to the Saudis, particularly."
Biden will visit the Middle East for the first time as president July 13-16. Following stops in Israel and the West Bank, Biden will fly directly to the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah to attend a summit of nine leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council plus Egypt, Iraq and Jordan.
“It’s in Saudi Arabia, but it’s not about Saudi Arabia,” Biden told reporters.
