Donald Trump / Photo: Voice of America
Donald Trump is preparing to make his first foreign visit since returning to the White House, likely to Saudi Arabia. This was reported by Axios, citing sources in the US administration and knowledgeable interlocutors.
According to sources, the visit is tentatively scheduled for mid-May. Earlier, the date of 28 April was also considered, but, according to insiders, it was postponed. The details of the upcoming trip have been actively discussed in recent weeks by senior US and Saudi officials, including on the sidelines of recent consultations on the war in Ukraine that took place in the Kingdom.
What is Trump planning to discuss in Riyadh?
According to a Trump administration spokesperson, there is no official plan for the visit yet, but the key topics of the talks will be:
– attracting foreign investment to the US;
– strengthening strategic ties with the Persian Gulf countries;
– finding ways to end the conflicts in the Middle East.
This could be a new stage in Washington’s attempts to maintain influence in the region amid China’s growing role and Saudi Arabia’s active mediation in global negotiations.
And Israel?
Despite speculation about a possible “extended visit,” Israeli officials said that the White House has not yet discussed with them the prospect of including Israel in the itinerary of a future trip.
Sources familiar with the talks also noted: Saudi Arabia would like Trump’s visit to take place only after at least a temporary ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is reached. This underscores Riyadh’s desire to remain not just a regional player, but a global mediator in key conflicts.
If the visit does take place in May, it will be a symbolic gesture in the context of US-Saudi relations and the global geopolitical game around energy, security and the new architecture of the Middle East.
