US pressure on Saudi Arabia is easing, but Washington needs pressure on Riyadh

The US is carefully lifting its pressure on Saudi Arabia and its Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the murder of a dissident journalist and blogger. The Biden administration is carefully lifting its pressure on Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the murder of dissident journalist and blogger Jamal Khashoggi.<br><br>The relationship between Washington and Saudi Arabia has not been going well in recent years. In 2020, the US presidential election brought Joe Biden to power, who was particularly critical of the Saudi leadership. Biden promised to make Riyadh pay the price for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But with the start of the Ukrainian war and the sharp rise in oil prices, Saudi oil became important again for the US and the West.<br><br>The Biden administration initially maintained its tough stance on Saudi Arabia, refusing to engage directly with the crown prince and ignoring Saudi requests to pump more oil. The US also ignored the Saudi request to provide advanced missile defense systems. This was a different approach by Washington from the Trump administration, which supported Saudi Arabia unconditionally.<br><br>Despite the tensions in the US-Saudi relations, the two countries continue to cooperate. Saudi Arabia is trying to use its economic influence to improve its relations with the US. Saudi Arabia has launched a strategy to expand its influence and attract American companies and talent. Riyadh is also making efforts to resolve the conflict in Yemen. The US is responding to these efforts by carefully lifting its pressure on Saudi Arabia.<br><br>The relationship between Washington and Riyadh has improved significantly since the start of the Ukrainian war. The US has eased its pressure on Saudi Arabia over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and ignored Riyadh's refusal to increase oil production. The Biden administration has also given its official support to Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Riyadh. This move is seen as a reward for Saudi Arabia's efforts to improve its relations with the US and strengthen the bilateral partnership.<br><br>The relaxation of pressure on Saudi Arabia is also related to the conflict in Sudan. The US and its allies are carefully watching the situation in Sudan, where Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are supporting rival factions in the conflict. The US and its allies are concerned about the potential for the conflict to spread across the region and are working to contain it. Washington's pressure easing on Riyadh is seen as a way to ensure Saudi cooperation in resolving the Sudan crisis.<br><br>In conclusion, the US is carefully lifting its pressure on Saudi Arabia, despite ongoing human rights concerns. The Biden administration's easing of pressure on Riyadh is driven by the need for cooperation on key issues, including Sudan. While Washington is carefully lifting its pressure on Saudi Arabia, it still needs to be more careful in managing its pressure on Riyadh.