Trump, King Salman reaffirm strong US-Saudi Arabian defense partnership: White House

US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia’s King Salman reaffirmed the strong ties between Riyadh and Washington in terms of their defense partnership, according to a statement from a White House spokesperson.

“Today, President Donald J. Trump spoke with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The President and King Salman discussed the latest positive developments in defeating the coronavirus pandemic and re-energizing global economies,” according to a statement from White House Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere.

“The two leaders agreed on the importance of stability in global energy markets, and reaffirmed the strong United States-Saudi defense partnership. The President and King Salman also discussed other critical regional and bilateral issues and their cooperation as leaders of the G7 and G20, respectively,” Deere added.

A statement from the Saudi Press Agency also confirmed the call between the two leaders, adding that both addressed the historical and strategic ties between the two countries.

“The two sides affirmed their keenness to continue their joint efforts to enhance the security and stability of the region. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, may God preserve him, also referred to the Kingdom’s efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution in Yemen and to the ceasefire alliance initiative in support of the efforts of the UN envoy in this regard,” the statement from SPA added.

Trump also reiterated that the United States is “committed to protecting its interests and the security of its allies in the region and its determination to confront everything that destabilizes security and stability.”