Biden to visit Saudi Arabia next month

SAUL LOEB/ AFP

US President Joe Biden will travel to Saudi Arabia next month where he is expected to meet King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Biden's Saudi visit is part of his wider trip to the Middle East from July 13 to July 16, starting in Israel and the West Bank before landing in Jeddah.

During the stop in Israel, Biden will emphasise the US commitment to the country, which includes billions in military support.

He will also hold a virtual summit with the leaders of Israel, India, and the UAE as a way to demonstrate that regional partnerships extend beyond the Middle East, a senior White House official said.

Biden will end the trip in Saudi Arabia where he is scheduled to attend a summit with GCC leaders as well as Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and Jordan's King Abdullah, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.

[With inputs from Reuters]

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