Senator Richard Blumenthal urged Washington to stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia because of its “bias” towards Russia.
“The Kingdom is interested in supporting Russian policy and also claims that the Saudi authorities are illegally involved in the conflict in Yemen,” Congressman Blumenthal and Yale School of Management professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld wrote in Foreign Affairs.
According to the article, “It’s time for the United States to stop contributing to Saudi misbehavior and end this one-sided relationship.”
Senator Blumenthal introduced legislation that would halt all US arms sales to Saudi Arabia for one year and then could make the moratorium permanent if Saudi Arabia continues to support Moscow.
“If Riyadh continues to take more from Washington than it gives back, it will have to deal with the consequences,” they added.
And NBC quoted current and former U.S. officials as saying officials in the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden are considering trying to dissuade U.S. companies from expanding trade ties with Saudi Arabia.
The article points out that the study of ways to use American business as a means of pressure on Saudi Arabia began after oil-producing countries, including the Kingdom, agreed to cut oil production.
This is just one of the options Biden is considering, and no concrete decisions have yet been made on the issue, the channel’s sources said, with officials saying Washington is still exploring how to respond without undermining US goals in the Middle East.
Source: RIA Novosti