Biden concludes maiden visit to Middle East

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia

US President Joe Biden left Saudi Arabia on Saturday, ending a four-day trip to the Middle East.

The regional tour, his first since Biden became president last year, also included Israel and the occupied West Bank.

Biden was seen off at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah by the governor of the Makkah region, Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, according to the state-run Al-Ikhbariya television.

Before his departure, Biden participated in a US-Arab summit with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members, Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq.

During the summit, the US president said that Washington will not leave any vacuum in the Middle East to Russia, China, or Iran.

Biden also held separate meetings with Saudi King Salman and his Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to the kingdom.

Biden’s visit to the Middle East was seen as a US attempt to assert leadership in the region against Russia and China amid Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar