Joe Biden said Qatar would become one of the United States’ major allies outside NATO. The US President announced that he would refer his decision in this regard to Congress. Previously, such a status in relations with the United States was granted to more than a dozen other countries. This was announced by Biden during a meeting with the Emir of Qatar. The country has been in talks with Washington for weeks about gas supplies to Europe, if the situation related to Russia’s threats to Ukraine and the West warrants it.
Joe Biden, during a meeting in the Oval Office with Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Sanaim, said he intends to inform Congress soon that Qatar will be recognized as a major non-NATO ally of the United States.
More than a dozen other countries around the world have such a status, mainly associated with the United States, which has military alliances. Qatar is also the third country in the Persian Gulf with this title – after Bahrain and Kuwait.
The US President said that the recognition of Qatar as a major ally of the United States outside NATO reflects the importance of relations between the two countries and it should have taken place earlier. Qatar is a good friend, reliable and competent partner. “I will tell Congress that I will designate Qatar, a major non-NATO ally, to reflect the importance of our relationship,” he added.
At the start of the meeting, Biden announced that talks with the king would concern Middle East security, “the stability of global energy supplies,” and cooperation between the two countries in Afghanistan.
Joe Biden meets with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al-SaneaPAP / EPA / Tom Brenner / POOL
Natural gas supplies to Europe
Qatar is one of the countries with which the United States recently began talks about the possibility of redirecting LNG supplies from Asia to Europe in the event of a suspension of supplies from Russia – if international sanctions were imposed on it after the invasion of Ukraine and it wanted retaliatory measures.
The emirate was also one of Washington’s most important partners during the evacuation of civilians from Afghanistan.
Opening the meeting, Biden also referred to the situation around Ukraine. He said the United States has continued to call on Russia to resolve the crisis diplomatically, but with continued troop movements in the border regions of Ukraine, America is “prepared no matter what happens.”
Main image source: PAP / EPA / Tom Brenner / POOL
“Coffee enthusiast. Troublemaker. Incurable introvert. Subtly charming twitter scholar. Award-winning social mediaholic. Internet buff.”
