KSA looks past US to China, Russia in push for nuclear power: Report

ByNews Desk- The Cradle

While kingdom officials discuss nuclear cooperation with other partners, Riyadh recently offered to normalize ties with Israel in exchange for securing Washington's assistance

Saudi Arabia is exploring options to develop a nuclear energy program alongside China, Russia, or “a US ally” as talks with longtime partner Washington on the topic have “dragged on,” according to officials with knowledge on the matter, the New York Times (NYT) has reported.

Riyadh has for years pressed Washington for help in developing a civilian nuclear energy program as part of the kingdom’s push to be “a global leader in the renewable energy sector.”

“The kingdom intends to utilize its national uranium resources, including in joint ventures with willing partners in accordance with international commitments and transparency standards,” Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said in January after unveiling plans to use domestically-sourced uranium to build up the kingdom’s nuclear power industry.

Last December, the Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources announced that the kingdom’s mineral wealth was valued in excess of $1.3 trillion and included copper, zinc, phosphates, uranium, and gold deposits.

China is already working with Saudi Arabia on uranium prospecting. In recent years, Saudi Arabia and its Gulf partners have invested heavily in renewable energy.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) revealed last November that the kingdom would commit $2.5 billion to the so-called ‘Middle East Green Initiative’ over the next 10 years.

US officials are reportedly wary of Riyadh’s nuclear aspirations due to the Saudi government’s refusal to agree to conditions intended to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons or helping other nations do so, according to the NYT.

But while kingdom officials are talking with Washington’s geopolitical rivals about nuclear cooperation, the NYT earlier this month revealed that Riyadh has offered to normalize ties with Israel in exchange for US cooperation on building nuclear reactors and other guarantees.

The decades-long relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia took a dramatic downturn last year following the start of the war in Ukraine, as the kingdom, alongside a large majority of countries worldwide, refused to cut ties with Russia.

Saudi Arabia also shocked the world earlier this month by agreeing to a rapprochement deal with long-time rival Iran under the auspices of Beijing.

But despite deteriorating relations, the Biden White House approved several new arms sales to Saudi Arabia last year, ignoring both the president’s campaign promise to make the kingdom a “pariah” as well as the calamity US bombs have caused in Yemen.

Last year, Biden also gave MbS immunity for the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi after the crown prince was named prime minister.