Karina Bovsunovska17:20, 05/26/24

4 min.169

According to sources, Washington has already signaled to Saudi Arabia that it is ready to do so.

The US may lift the ban on the sale of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia . According to American officials, this may happen in the coming weeks, writes the Financial Times . 

Journalists recalled that US President Joe Biden suspended the sale of such weapons to the kingdom three years ago. At the time, he criticized the kingdom for waging war in Yemen amid concerns over the use of US-made weapons in airstrikes that have killed civilians. 

“But that decision was revised after the UN brokered a truce in 2022 that has largely held as Riyadh tried to exit the civil conflict in Yemen, which it entered nine years ago. Lifting the ban would be the latest sign of improving relations between the Biden administration and Riyadh,” the article added.

According to one of the officials familiar with the matter, Washington has already signaled to Saudi Arabia that it is ready to lift the ban. At the same time, the White House refused to comment. 

In turn, senior US officials said this week that Washington and Riyadh are close to finalizing a number of bilateral agreements, including a defense cooperation pact with the US to stem the kingdom’s civilian nuclear program. 

“These agreements will form part of a wider US-brokered deal that will normalize Saudi Arabia’s relations with Israel, but this depends on whether the Jewish state agrees to take steps to create a Palestinian state,” the FT noted.

At the same time, American officials reported that the lifting of the ban on the sale of offensive weapons was not directly related to these negotiations. 

(C)UNIAN 2024