Earlier this week, Russia shelled numerous cities in Ukraine, killing or injuring many civilians. The US reacted promptly, promising more ammunition and vehicles to Kyiv. And another country has promised Ukraine millions in aid: Saudi Arabia.
The United States has pledged $725 million in military aid to Ukraine. This includes, among other things, more ammunition for the HIMARS rocket launchers, said the US Department of Defense. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Washington that US aid would be increased “in the wake of Russia’s brutal rocket attacks on civilians in Ukraine” and in the face of “growing evidence of crimes by the Russian army”.
US military aid to Ukraine since President Joe Biden took office totals $18.3 billion, Blinken pointed out. According to the Pentagon, the new commitment includes 5,000 anti-tank weapons, 5,000 remote-controlled anti-tank mines, vehicles and medical supplies.
“The capabilities we deliver are carefully balanced to make the greatest difference for Ukraine on the battlefield,” Blinken pointed out. The United States remains “on the side of the Ukrainian people, who are defending their freedom and independence with extraordinary courage and immeasurable determination.”
After increasing criticism from the USA of Saudi Arabia’s behavior in the face of the war, the leadership in Riyadh Kyiv has now also pledged humanitarian aid in the amount of 400 million dollars, the equivalent of 411 million euros. As the official SPA news agency reports, the Saudi Arabian crown prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman made the promise of aid in a telephone call to the Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to the SPA, the crown prince emphasized his country’s attitude in the telephone conversation to “support everything that contributes to de-escalation”. Riyadh is still willing to mediate between Kyiv and Moscow. Last month, Saudi Arabia surprisingly contributed to a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine.
However, Saudi Arabia resisted the US demand not to cut oil production in order to alleviate the energy crisis resulting from the Ukraine war. Together with Russia and other countries, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), led by Saudi Arabia, decided at the beginning of September for the first time in a year to reduce its production volume, which is to be implemented in November.
The move was widely seen as a diplomatic slap in the face to the US, which had explicitly opposed it. US President Joe Biden announced “consequences” and a reassessment of relations with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia then assured that the decision was made “purely for economic reasons”. It is by no means a matter of “partisanship by the Kingdom in international conflicts”.
