(Washington) The powerful head of the US Senate Foreign Affairs Committee threatened Monday to block any future arms sales to Saudi Arabia, which he accuses of playing into the Kremlin’s hands by reducing its oil production.
Posted at 5:57 p.m.
“I have to denounce the recent decision of the government of Saudi Arabia to help support Putin’s war (in Ukraine, editor’s note) through the OPEC + cartel,” said US Senator Bob Menendez in a communicated.
This alliance brings together the 13 members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), including the Emirates, led by Saudi Arabia, and ten other countries led by Moscow.
At a meeting last Wednesday, this group decided to drastically reduce its crude oil production, which boosted prices.
By refusing to open the floodgates of black gold widely, despite numerous calls to this effect from the West, OPEC+ has been accused by the United States of helping Moscow, which has an interest in supporting prices to finance its war in Ukraine.
In response, Democratic Senator Bob Menendez called on the United States to immediately freeze “all aspects of our cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including any arms sales”.
“As head of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, I will not allow any cooperation with Riyadh until the kingdom reevaluates its stance on the war in Ukraine,” he said. announcement. ” That’s enough. »
The major OPEC+ cut is also a diplomatic snub for Joe Biden.
The American president had traveled to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in July for an official visit which notably saw him exchange a “fist bump”, a familiar greeting fist to fist, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, despite the criticism from human rights activists.