WASHINGTON, Broadcasting news corporation : Saudi Arabia shut down Biden officials’ pleadings to delay the crucial OPEC+ decision last week slashing oil production until after the upcoming midterm elections, with Riyadh viewing the demand as a political ploy, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. American officials cautioned the Saudi government that cutting oil production would weaken Washington’s already strained relationship with Riyadh, and that the US would interpret the move as the kingdom taking Russia’s side in its ongoing war on Ukraine, according to the newspaper, which cited unnamed sources. Saudi leaders rejected the White House’s request, “which they viewed as a political gambit by the Biden administration to avoid bad news” ahead of the Nov. 8 elections. Instead, the Saudi-led group of oil-producing nations announced last week it will slash output by 2 million barrels a day, causing a spike in gas prices. In response, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez called to cut all ties with the Middle Eastern nation Tuesday. “The United States must immediately freeze all aspects of our cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including any arms sales and security cooperation beyond what is absolutely necessary to defend U.S. personnel and interests,” Menendez said in a statement. “As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I will not green-light any cooperation with Riyadh until the Kingdom reassesses its position with respect to the war in Ukraine. Enough is enough.”
Saudi Arabia is the US’ largest foreign military sales customer, with more than $100 billion in active cases, according to the State Department — which in August approved the $3.05 billion sale of 300 Patriot guided tactical ballistic missiles and associated equipment. Three other House Democrats introduced a bill last week that would pull all US troops and missile defense systems from Saudi Arabia in response to the OPEC+ decision.
“Saudi Arabia[’s] … drastic cut in oil production, despite President Biden’s overtures to both countries in recent months, is a hostile act against the United States and a clear signal that they have chosen to side with Russia in its war against Ukraine,” said Reps. Tom Malinowski of New Jersey, Sean Casten of Illinois and Susan Wild of Pennsylvania in a joint statement. Also on Tuesday, Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois called on Congress to pass the NOPEC Act, which would make “oil-producing and exporting cartels” illegal in the US. The bill, passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee in May, would also strip foreign leaders of their sovereign immunity in oil cartel cases. “Saudi Arabia’s collusion with Putin to fix prices will increase gas prices for Americans at a time when inflation is high,” Durbin said on Twitter. “The Senate must take action against price fixing by OPEC and pass this legislation.” Biden is “willing to work with Congress” soon on the issue, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told CNN on Tuesday. “I think he’s going to be willing to start to have those conversations right away,” Kirby said. “I don’t think this is anything that’s going to have to wait or should wait, quite frankly, for much longer.” Biden is also reconsidering America’s relationship with Saudi Arabia, which has long been a US partner, Kirby added, without going into further detail. “I think the president’s been very clear that this is a relationship that we need to continue to re-evaluate, that we need to be willing to revisit,” he said in an interview with CNN. “And certainly in light of the OPEC decision, I think that’s where he is.” The kingdom pushed the oil cut despite President Biden’s July visit to the nation that remains America’s third-leading source of imported oil. In response, Biden abruptly announced on Oct. 5 that he would release 10 million more barrels from the US strategic reserve in a bid to offset cuts that have already boosted prices at the pump.
The average nationwide price of a gallon of gas stood at $3.92 on Tuesday, according to AAA — up 12 cents from last week. Crude Oil prices subsequently spiked, adding more pressure to the global energy markets already strained by the effects of Russia’s invasion. NEWS COLLECTED FROM NEW YORK POST.