Trump's Middle East trip eyes billion-dollar deals
The President of the USA, Donald Trump, is embarking on a three-day visit to the Middle East starting on Tuesday. During his trip, Trump plans to stop in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Among other objectives, Trump aims to finalise multi-billion-dollar contracts.
This marks Donald Trump's second international trip in his second term. In April, he travelled to Rome to attend Pope Francis's funeral.
Trump begins journey to the Middle East
The American president will meet with Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in the capital on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he will attend a summit of Arab state leaders in Riyadh. According to Arab media, the meeting will include the presidents of Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, and Syria: Joseph Aoun, Mahmoud Abbas, and Ahmed al-Shara.
Following his visit to Saudi Arabia, Trump is scheduled to travel to Qatar on Wednesday and conclude his trip in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday. The US president announced on Monday that he is contemplating a visit to Istanbul, Turkey, where Ukrainian-Russian peace negotiations are due on Thursday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed his attendance, though it remains uncertain whether Russian leader Vladimir Putin will be present.
The three Arab monarchies on Trump's itinerary are among the wealthiest countries in the world due to their vast oil and gas resources, and they are key allies of the USA in the region.
Trump has long prioritised Arab countries, having facilitated the Abraham Accords during his first term. Under these accords, Israel established diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Most Arab and Muslim countries do not recognise Israel and do not have official diplomatic ties with it.
Trump has stated his intention to extend the Abraham Accords to include more countries, with Saudi Arabia being a prime target.
The USA counts on substantial contracts
Substantial contracts between the USA and Saudi Arabia have been anticipated for some time. In January, Salman announced plans for Saudi Arabia to invest 600 billion dollars in the American economy over four years. Trump has already indicated his desire to increase this to one trillion dollars.
In April, Reuters reported that the USA is prepared to offer Saudi Arabia a weapons deal worth 100 billion dollars. The package will include C-130 transport planes, MQ-9B drones, radars, and missiles. Trump will also likely discuss a contract for F-35 fighter jets, which Riyadh has long sought to acquire.
A major agreement regarding Saudi nuclear energy sector investments is also anticipated. Last week, it was reported that the Trump administration will no longer require Saudi Arabia to normalise relations with Israel as a condition for this contract, a stipulation previously imposed by former US President Joe Biden. This news has raised concerns in Israel. Additionally, contracts between the USA and Saudi Arabia are expected to form part of a broader defence cooperation agreement between the two nations.
In March, the United Arab Emirates announced a 10-year investment programme in the American economy worth 1.4 trillion dollars. These investments will focus on high-tech sectors, including artificial intelligence, energy, and semiconductors. The UAE aspires to become a leading artificial intelligence economy and hopes for the removal of American export restrictions on advanced technologies.
Another key issue in the region is the ongoing negotiations with Iran regarding the nuclear agreement. To date, four rounds of talks have been held. Washington seeks to limit the Iranian nuclear programme and ensure Tehran does not acquire nuclear weapons. Iran, however, insists that the agreement should not restrict its uranium enrichment capabilities, a stance opposed by the USA and Israel. Trump has repeatedly warned that if the negotiations fail, the USA might resort to military action against Iran.
