PNN – The US President declared Saudi Arabia to be Washington’s main ally among countries that are not members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, citing the New York Post, U.S. President Donald Trump announced during a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that the United States will officially designate Saudi Arabia as a “major non-NATO ally.”
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Trump said the move will elevate military cooperation to a higher level and formally recognize Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, a designation he described as very important for the kingdom.
The New York Post reported that, according to the U.S. State Department, Saudi Arabia will become the twentieth country to receive this status. This designation provides broader access to military, economic, and research cooperation, including the ability to participate in joint projects for producing defense equipment and ammunition. It also allows the U.S. to store its military equipment in Saudi Arabia outside of American bases. The announcement follows the signing of a “historic strategic defense agreement” between the two countries.
The White House stated that the new defense agreement strengthens America’s role as a guarantor of regional security and creates opportunities for wider defense partnerships. The report also noted that Trump finalized a deal to sell nearly 300 U.S. tanks to Saudi Arabia.
Trump described his relationship with the Saudi crown prince as “very friendly.”