Saudi Arabia is reportedly in advanced discussions with the United States over a landmark defense pact, which Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to finalize during his upcoming White House visit next month, according to a Financial Times report on Friday.
Citing sources familiar with the talks, the Financial Times revealed that a senior US official confirmed ongoing discussions about signing an agreement during the crown prince’s visit, although the details remain under negotiation.
The potential Saudi-US defense deal is said to mirror the recent US-Qatar defense pact, under which Washington pledged to treat any armed attack on Qatar as a threat to the United States. That agreement followed Israel’s attempted airstrike on Hamas leaders in Doha last month, escalating regional tensions.
A spokesperson for the US State Department told the Financial Times that defense cooperation with Saudi Arabia forms a “strong bedrock of our regional strategy,” but declined to provide details on the ongoing talks. Neither the State Department, White House, nor Saudi officials responded to Reuters requests for comment.
The news comes shortly after Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense agreement last month, pledging that any aggression against one nation would be considered an attack on both. The accord, signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, marks a major step toward collective security in the Arab world.
The timing of these agreements—following an Arab summit focused on regional defense cooperation and amid escalating Middle East conflicts involving Israel, Iran, and Pakistan—underscores Saudi Arabia’s drive to strengthen its security alliances amid rising geopolitical tensions.
