Trump sets new demand for Saudi Arabia a day after nuclear deal
Donald Trump, President of the US (photo: Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump stated that Washington will not implement the civilian nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia unless the Kingdom agrees to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords, according to CNN.
According to Trump, the agreement is fully dependent on Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords. This position was also confirmed by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, emphasizing that the demand for normalization with Israel is consistent with the president's previous statements.
As is known, the day before, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed the civilian nuclear cooperation agreement.
The document opens the way for the development of Saudi nuclear energy with the participation of American technology. At the same time, it must undergo a 90-day review in the US Congress, and also provides for a two-year feasibility study of the project.
One of the most controversial issues has been Saudi Arabia's uranium enrichment capabilities. Trump stated that the program would be exclusively peaceful and would not involve the creation of materials for nuclear weapons.
At the same time, experts point out that certain provisions of the agreement have raised concerns due to potential risks to the nuclear non-proliferation regime.
Normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel
CNN emphasizes that normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel remains a complex issue. Riyadh has repeatedly stated that it is not ready for such a step without significant progress in the creation of a Palestinian state.
Following the war between Israel and Hamas and the escalation of the situation in the Middle East, the prospects for such a scenario have become even more uncertain.
Abraham Accords
More specifically, the Abraham Accords are agreements on normalizing relations between Israel and Arab countries, concluded with US mediation in 2020. They provide for the establishment of diplomatic relations and the development of economic and security cooperation.
Within their framework, diplomatic relations with Israel were established by the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.
Washington considers the potential accession of Saudi Arabia as one of the most important steps to expand this process.
On July 23, Donald Trump approved a 30-year nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia. It authorizes uranium enrichment only for civilian purposes.
At the same time, this move has alarmed a number of countries, including Israel. In the US, not everyone supported the American leader's step.
