US President Joe Biden met King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman upon his arrival in Jeddah today, Friday (July 15, 2022), at the beginning of a pivotal visit to discuss energy, politics and relations between the Gulf and Washington, which constitutes a retreat from his pledge during his campaign The electoral process turns the kingdom into a pariah state.
Will Biden return to adulthood and rationality?A question he asks the American people: What does the president want from the Saudi government?
Is he demanding the withdrawal of his relations with the Russian government?
There are many answers and more questions, but Biden said bad things about Saudi Arabia during his campaign, and now things have changed.
Video footage broadcast by official media showed Prince Mohammed, the country's de facto ruler, welcoming Biden at one of the entrances to the royal palace in the western coastal city, before each clasped his fist with the other's and walked side by side smiling.
White House officials worked hard to determine what a meeting between Biden and the Saudi crown prince would look like, and in the end, the handshake in front of the Saudi monarch's palace in Jeddah, which is likely to be the most famous image of the US president's visit.
The White House said Biden will seek to limit direct contact, such as shaking hands, in his visits to Israel and Saudi Arabia this week due to the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic. But Biden, a politician who usually likes to pat his prospects and take the risks of showing humility, was seen repeating a handshake during his visit to Israel as part of his Middle East tour.
While in Jeddah, Biden met Saudi King Salman bin Abdelaziz (86 years old) before participating in a ministerial "working session" headed by the 36-year-old crown prince. The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said that in Biden's meeting with King Salman, "the historical relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States and ways to strengthen them were reviewed to serve the interests of the two friendly countries and peoples in various fields."