(Photo credit: AP)
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that Saudi Arabia will be designated a major non-Nato ally as he hosted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House.“Tonight, I’m pleased to announce that we’re taking our military cooperation to even greater heights by formally designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-Nato ally, which is something that is very important to them,” he said. “And I’m just telling you now for the first time, because they wanted to keep a little secret for tonight,” news agency AFP quoted him saying.
The move marks a significant elevation in defence ties between Washington and Riyadh and places Saudi Arabia among a select group of countries that enjoy privileged security cooperation with the United States.CBS News said the designation could pave the way for deeper joint military initiatives and greater interoperability between the two nations. It is also seen as a symbolic gesture underscoring closer strategic alignment, with US President Trump saying it would take “our military cooperation to even greater heights.”Saudi Arabia would join 20 other nations that currently hold major non-Nato ally status, including regional players such as Israel, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan.This follows soon after US signed a sweeping set of agreements with Saudi Arabia covering civil nuclear cooperation, artificial intelligence and defence, including the long-anticipated sale of F-35 fighter jets on Tuesday. In a statement, the White House said both sides had signed a Joint Declaration on the Completion of Negotiations on Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation, establishing the legal basis for a “decades-long, multi-billion-dollar partnership built on strong non-proliferation standards.” US had also approved a “major defence sale package” that includes future deliveries of advanced F-35 aircraft, despite long-standing Israeli concerns. A White House factsheet said the series of agreements would deepen the US–Saudi strategic partnership, expand opportunities for American workers and bolster regional security.
