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Gulf

Saudi Crown Prince’s Visit to US Launches New Chapter in Relations 

US President Donald Trump greets Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, DC on November 18, 2025. (AFP)
US President Donald Trump greets Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, DC on November 18, 2025. (AFP)
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Saudi Crown Prince’s Visit to US Launches New Chapter in Relations 

US President Donald Trump greets Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, DC on November 18, 2025. (AFP)
US President Donald Trump greets Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, DC on November 18, 2025. (AFP)

The visit by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to the United States on Tuesday paved the way for a new "great" chapter in relations between the two allies and consolidated the "unlimited" partnership between them. 

US President Donald Trump received Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House. An official reception ceremony was held for the Crown Prince, whose motorcade was escorted by cavalry upon arrival followed by a review of the honor guard while the military band performed, and 19 artillery rounds were fired in welcome. 

The Crown Prince and Trump witnessed an aerial military display in which a formation of fighter jets flew over Washington in welcome of his arrival. 

Following the reception ceremony, Trump escorted the Crown Prince on a tour of the White House. 

During remarks at the Oval Office, Crown Prince Mohammed revealed that Saudi Arabia will invest up to $1 trillion in the US.  

"I believe, Mr. President, in today and tomorrow, we can announce that we are going to increase that $600 billion to almost $1 trillion for investment, real investment, and real opportunity," he said.  

"Now, you're saying to me now that the $600 billion will be $1 trillion?" Trump said, to which Crown Prince Mohammed replied: "Definitely."  

The Kingdom was not "creating fake opportunities to please America or please Trump," he added. Saudi Arabia has a high demand for computing power and desires US chips. 

Afterwards, the Crown Prince and Trump chaired the Saudi-US summit. 

They reviewed aspects of bilateral relations, discussed joint efforts to boost the Saudi-US strategic partnership across various fields, examined regional and international developments, explored ways to strengthen security and stability regionally and globally, and addressed several other issues of mutual interest. 

Crown Prince Mohammed and Trump signed a strategic defense agreement at the conclusion of the summit. They also signed bilateral agreements and memoranda on strategic partnership for artificial intelligence; a joint statement on completing the negotiations regarding cooperation in civil nuclear energy; a strategic framework for partnership in securing supply chains for uranium, permanent magnets, and critical minerals; and agreement to facilitate procedures for accelerating Saudi investments. 

They also signed financial and economic partnership arrangements for economic prosperity; arrangements related to cooperation in the financial markets; a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the field of education and training; and letters concerning vehicle safety standards. 

Attending the summit from the Saudi side were Minister of Energy and Chairman of the Saudi side of the Saudi-US Strategic Economic Partnership Committee Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz; Saudi Ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz; Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah; Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet, and National Security Adviser Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban; Minister of Commerce Majid Al-Kassabi; Minister of Finance Mohammed Aljadaan; and Governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) Yasir Alrumayyan. 

From the American side, officials included Vice President JD Vance; Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth; Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent; Secretary of Energy Chris Wright; White House chief of staff Susie Wiles; and special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff. 

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Gulf

How Saudi Arabia’s Responsible Approach Contained Developments in Southern Yemen

A government soldier mans a machine gun mounted on a pick-up truck in the Arabian Sea port city of Mukalla, Yemen January 4, 2026. (Reuters)
A government soldier mans a machine gun mounted on a pick-up truck in the Arabian Sea port city of Mukalla, Yemen January 4, 2026. (Reuters)
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How Saudi Arabia’s Responsible Approach Contained Developments in Southern Yemen

A government soldier mans a machine gun mounted on a pick-up truck in the Arabian Sea port city of Mukalla, Yemen January 4, 2026. (Reuters)
A government soldier mans a machine gun mounted on a pick-up truck in the Arabian Sea port city of Mukalla, Yemen January 4, 2026. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia has shown a high degree of containment and a calm approach in dealing with the latest developments in southern Yemen after forces of the Southern Transitional Council seized control of the provinces of Hadhramaut and al-Mahra without any coordination with the legitimate government or the Arab coalition backing legitimacy, analysts said.

Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Gulf Research Center, said the meetings in Riyadh by Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman of figures from Yemen’s political movement, including Presidential Leadership Council member Tariq Saleh and PLC Vice President Abdul Rahman Al-Mahrami, also known as Abou Zaraa, was a clear example of the prudent policy pursued by the Kingdom in managing Yemen’s complex affairs.

Sager told Asharq Al-Awsat that Saudi Arabia, since its founding by the late King Abdulaziz, has relied on a policy of containment, wisdom in engagement and measured rhetoric.

From this perspective came the defense minister’s meeting with the various Yemeni officials, foremost among them members of the PLC who had declared positions at odds with the Yemeni legitimacy backed by the Arab coalition.

Sager added that when they returned to the right path and responded to the Saudi call, Prince Khalid and the Saudi leadership moved to contain them, reflecting an inherent trait of Saudi governance and the ethical values that frame the core characteristics of Saudi policy.

The Kingdom attaches great importance to Yemen not only as a neighbor but because of the many shared ties and strong social links, including the convergence of customs and traditions between the two peoples, he stressed.

On December 3, the Southern Transitional Council dispatched military columns toward the eastern provinces, taking control of several institutions, most notably the headquarters of the First Military Region in Seiyun and the presidential palace, and deploying in Mukalla and al-Mahra without significant clashes.

Saudi Arabia swiftly sent Maj. Gen. Mohammed Ubaid Al Qahtani at the head of a delegation to calm the situation and de-escalate tensions, calling for the STC forces to return to Aden and their original provinces, and for the legitimate government’s Nation Shield forces to be deployed in their place.

On December 27, Prince Khalid bin Salman also sent a message titled “To Our People in Yemen,” outlining the fairness of the southern cause and urging that the safe southern provinces not be dragged into futile conflicts.

He called for awareness of the major challenges Yemen faces and for denying spoilers the opportunity to advance their goals in Yemen and the region.

Sager said Saudi Arabia has no enemies within Yemen’s political makeup and understands the positions of all sides, enabling it to play the role of guarantor and mediator for any political settlement to the Yemeni conflict.

He stressed that Riyadh views the situation in Yemen as a core component of its regional national security. The Yemen file, he added, has two dimensions the Kingdom cannot ignore, protecting its national security and ensuring Yemen’s stability and prosperity.

In recent days, Nation Shield forces loyal to the legitimate government, backed by coalition air support, have reasserted control over Hadhramaut and al-Mahra, with STC forces retreating to their home provinces after limited clashes.

According to Sager, the Saudi move to engage constructively with the southern Yemen issue, openness on the file and acceptance of differing views among rival parties are part of a process to guarantee long-term stability in Yemen.

Seeking acceptable solutions and formulas to contain southern demands, while preserving the state entity as much as possible, is part of Saudi Arabia’s strategy to close the door to negative external interference in Yemen’s stability, which threatens Yemen and Saudi national security interests, Sager remarked.

Political analyst Khaled Al-Habbas said Saudi Arabia’s position on Yemen has been clear from the outset, prioritizing Yemen’s security and stability across all its components.

This was the same approach Riyadh adopted toward developments in southern Yemen, given that Yemen is a strategic sphere for the Kingdom and events there directly affect Saudi national security, he explained.

The Kingdom is committed to supporting security and stability and to maintaining equal distance from all national components that put the public interest ahead of narrow interests or external agendas, he went on to say.

According to Al-Habbas, Riyadh’s expected hosting of a southern dialogue conference, with the participation of various relevant southern forces including the Southern Transitional Council, is clear evidence of its responsible and inclusive approach.

The fate of the southern issue should be decided by Yemenis themselves through dialogue and diplomacy, not by imposing a fait accompli or through a military coup, he stressed.

Gulf

Saudi Govt Following Efforts to Consolidate Security, Stability in Yemen

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Govt Following Efforts to Consolidate Security, Stability in Yemen

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)

The Saudi government said on Tuesday it was following the developments in the region and efforts the Kingdom was exerting to consolidate security and stability in Yemen.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the cabinet meeting that was held in Riyadh.

The cabinet noted the Kingdom’s efforts to provide the conditions to hold dialogue between all Yemeni parties. It reiterated its welcome of Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Chairman Dr. Rashad al-Alimi's request to hold a comprehensive conference on southern Yemen in Riyadh.

The conference aims to reach just solutions for the southern issue that meets the aspirations of the southerners.

The cabinet was briefed on the telephone calls received by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, from Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif. The discussions addressed relations between the Kingdom and these countries, as well as regional and international developments.

The cabinet discussed the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza by intensifying air, sea, and land aid bridges to support the Palestinian people.

These efforts are carried out under the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince and reflect the Kingdom’s longstanding role in providing humanitarian assistance and its unwavering support for the Palestinian cause.

On the domestic affairs, the cabinet underlined the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening its position in advanced technologies and building an integrated digital ecosystem that boosts the competitiveness of the national economy and attracts investment, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 to establish a sustainable, data- and artificial intelligence-driven economy.

The cabinet commended the launch in Riyadh of the world’s largest government data center project, “Hexagon,” which is considered a significant strategic milestone that reinforces the Kingdom’s position as a global hub in this field, ensures data sovereignty and security, and enables innovation and the growth of the digital economy.

Gulf

Saudi Crown Prince, Syrian President Discuss Cooperation and Regional Developments

The Saudi Crown Prince meets with the Syrian President. SPA file phto
The Saudi Crown Prince meets with the Syrian President. SPA file phto
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Saudi Crown Prince, Syrian President Discuss Cooperation and Regional Developments

The Saudi Crown Prince meets with the Syrian President. SPA file phto
The Saudi Crown Prince meets with the Syrian President. SPA file phto

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received on Tuesday a phone call from Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

They discussed opportunities to enhance cooperation across various fields and reviewed regional developments, along with a range of topics of common interest.