On May 13, during his first overseas trip since returning to the White House, US President Donald Trump had a landmark meeting with Saudi Arabian Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in Riyadh. The two sides signed a huge strategic cooperation memorandum, spanning the fields of energy, defense, mining, healthcare and culture, worth up to 600 billion USD.
In particular, the US is committed to supporting the modernization of Saudi Arabia's armed forces and promoting internal security cooperation, including coordination between the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Home Affairs and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI). This historic agreement not only strengthens bilateral relations but also marks a clear geopolitical shift in Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia's return to the US has surprised observers, as Riyadh has only joined BRICS by the end of 2023, as part of efforts to multilateralize economic relations.
However, in the context of President Donald Trump reappointing and clearly stating a tough stance towards BRICS - as he had threatened to impose a 150% tax on the bloc, Saudi Arabia seems to be in a dilemma.
Some analysts believe that the world's leading oil exporter has "chosen the side". However, Abdulaziz Alghashian, research director for the Middle East Monitoring Organization in Riyadh, said: The deal with the US reflects the strategic depth of the bilateral relationship, but does not mean that Saudi Arabia has abandoned other partners.
It is unclear whether this is a sign of Saudi Arabia moving away from BRICS, or a smart balance strategy in the context of superpower competition. However, Riyadh appears to be leaning towards Washington, not only in terms of economy but also in terms of security, technology and military.
