Why U.S.-Saudi Relations Are On The Brink As Top-Ranking Senator Threatens To ‘Immediately Freeze’ Relationship

Why U.S.-Saudi Relations Are On The Brink As Top-Ranking Senator Threatens To ‘Immediately Freeze’ Relationship

Share to Linkedin The chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee called on the U. S. to "immediately freeze" all cooperation with Saudi Arabia on Monday, as outrage in Washington against the Saudi government continues to grow after the oil-rich country joined Russia in slashing oil production, threatening to greatly reduce U. S. relations with one of its top allies in the Middle East. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N. J.) has the power to greatly alter U. S.-Saudi relations. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N. J.) said in a statement he will block any weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, claiming the country "help[ed] underwrite Putin's war" against Ukraine and declaring "enough is enough." Menendez is referring to last week's agreement between the Saudi-led OPEC+ alliance, a group of oil-producing countries including Russia, to jointly slash production to drive up declining crude oil prices. Rising oil prices will help Russia finance its war operations in Ukraine, as its state-owned energy operations bring the Kremlin hundreds of billions of dollars even as Europe and other Western countries wean off of Russian oil and gas, contributing to a growing energy crisis in Europe. As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Menendez can veto any arms