Why is President Biden’s Visit to the Middle East Strategically Important?

Why is President Biden’s Visit to the Middle East Strategically Important?

President Biden will be visiting the Middle East this week, and it is likely that he will ask the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) countries, including Saudi Arabia, to boost their oil production.

In this context, it is important to look at why this visit is of far greater strategic importance in these turbulent times.

Higher oil prices are roiling not just the economy in the United States but also globally. Oil hit a multi-year high of $123 a barrel in March following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, resulting in Western countries, particularly Europe, moving to ban Russian crude oil, resulting in a global supply shortage.