U.S. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan speaks at a press briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., December 12, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

i24 News – US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will travel to Saudi Arabia this weekend for talks with Saudi leaders, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as Indian and Emirati officials, he announced Thursday in a speech on US strategy in the Middle East.

“This weekend I will be in Saudi Arabia for meetings with their leaders,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan, speaking on Thursday at a Washington think tank, said the US was still working toward a deal to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

“Ultimately, getting to full normalization is a declared national security interest of the United States. We have been clear about that,” he said.

“Now as a sign of my seriousness about how much we’re focused on this, and how seriously we are taking this, I am not going to say anything further lest I upset the efforts we are undertaking on this issue.”

Sullivan’s trip to the region will come as relations between Washington and Riyadh have strained since US President Joe Biden’s visit in 2022, even though the two countries continue to work together on many issues, including most recently Sudan.

Biden has criticized Riyadh on human rights and its energy policy, even calling for a “review” of relations after the kingdom’s decision last October to cut oil production. Saudi Arabia, however, plays a key role in the region, and Sullivan’s visit is part of a clear desire for rapprochement.

“My Emirati and Indian counterparts will be coming to Arabia also for meetings so that we can discuss new areas of cooperation between New Delhi and the Gulf, as well as the US and the rest of the region,” Sullivan said. He added that the situation in Yemen would be a “significant” part of the discussions over the weekend.