RIYADH — President Donald Trump is set to meet leaders from the six member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) during his visit to Riyadh in mid-May, a source close to the Saudi government told AFP on Sunday.
The meeting will include leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman, according to a source familiar with the preparations, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
This visit is a part of a broader regional tour that is scheduled from 13 to 16 May, which will also take President Trump to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The White House stated that the goal is to “strengthen ties” with these key allies, amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza and negotiations with Iran regarding its nuclear programme.
Though Trump attended the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome at the end of April, he has chosen to make Saudi Arabia his first major international destination, just as he did during his first term.
The relations between Washington and the Gulf countries remain robust, with Saudi Arabia being a historical ally of the US, Qatar hosting a significant military base, and Oman serving as a mediator in the Iranian nuclear talks.
For Trump, the Gulf visit carries significant economic implications. On Friday, the US announced a $3.5 billion (€3.1 billion) missile sale to Saudi Arabia.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has pledged to inject $600 billion (€530.9 billion) into trade and investment in the US.
The Trump Organization is also pursuing various projects in the region, having signed a contract in Qatar for a golf course and residences near Doha. A hotel and golf complex is under construction in Oman, and the Trump family is collaborating with LIV Golf, supported by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
Diplomatically, Saudi Arabia recently hosted indirect talks on Ukraine under US auspices, marking the first exchanges between Russian and American officials since 2022.
At the end of April, Donald Trump expressed to Time Magazine his belief that Saudi Arabia would recognise Israel. However, Riyadh continues to condition normalisation with Israel on the establishment of a Palestinian state, which faces opposition from Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
The Abraham Accords of 2020 facilitated the recognition of Israel by the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco. — AFP
