Washington, United States – Saudi Minister of Defense, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz met the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in Washington on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing war in Gaza which has so far killed around 9000 Palestinians and 1400 Israelis.
Prince Khalid met Austin at the Pentagon and discussions focused on bilateral affairs and the situation in Middle East.
“Secretary Austin emphasized US commitment to the territorial defence of the kingdom, and to reinforcing and expanding a strong, bilateral defence partnership,” the Pentagon said.
“He expressed deep thanks for the Minister of Defence’s leadership, including sustained support and co-ordination in working toward a durable peace for Yemen.
“He also commended Saudi humanitarian support to Ukraine, and efforts in Sudan to host diplomatic talks and support of evacuation operations,” the statement added further.
Prince Khalid also met the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken where the central focus of this meeting was the ongoing Israeli-Palestine conflict. The discussions revolved around joint efforts and coordination to de-escalate the conflict. In addition, both leaders reviewed the close strategic relations between the two nations and explored ways to enhance them.
Prince Khalid’s visit to Washington also included a previous meeting with White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, where the discussions centered on bolstering the defense partnership between the US and Saudi Arabia and increasing humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza.
During the meetinf, Sullivan “confirmed President [Joe] Biden’s commitment to support the defence of US partners against threats from state and non-state actors, including those backed by Iran”.
“They affirmed the urgent need to increase humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza,” the White House said.