WASHINGTON: US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth and Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman have discussed strengthening military and defence cooperation and reviewed regional and international developments.
During a meeting at the Pentagon, they emphasised the historical friendship and strategic partnership between the US and Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Tuesday.
Discussions focused on strengthening military and defence cooperation and reviewing regional and international developments, along with efforts to promote security and stability.
According to the Saudi Ministry of Defence, the purpose of Prince Khalid’s official visit was to discuss ways to strengthen the bilateral relationship between Washington and Riyadh, as well as to address mutual areas of interest.
“Prince Khalid bin Salman to the Pentagon today. This partnership dates back over 80 years. We will continue to work together to pursue security and stability in the Middle East, combat terrorism and strengthen our partnership for continued prosperity and security for both countries,” said Pete Hegseth in a post on X.
Welcomed @modgovksa Prince Khalid bin Salman to the Pentagon today. This partnership dates back over 80 years. We will continue to work together to pursue security and stability in the Middle East, combat terrorism and strengthen our partnership for continued prosperity and… pic.twitter.com/JRKxqHsagr
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) February 25, 2025
According to a Pentagon readout of the meeting, both Hegseth and Prince Khalid committed to deepening and broadening their relationship, consistent with both countries’ interests, as an anchor for shared security and prosperity.
Furthermore, Secretary Hegseth underscored the criticality of sustaining bilateral interoperability between US and Saudi forces as an investment in regional security and stability. Hegseth has also accepted Prince Khalid’s invitation to visit Saudi Arabia in the near future.
The visit follows Saudi Arabia, a major US ally, recently hosted high-level US and Russian officials to discuss the war in Ukraine.
