Yet, over the long term, tilting towards the US doesn't seem to be the natural choice, especially when America is looking to re-shore manufacturing and disengage from China-centric supply chains.
The crown prince’s historic visit to the US this week crowned these bilateral relations, elevating Saudi Arabia to the status of a major non-NATO ally and a trusted strategic partner.
While China has warned of serious consequences and may impose sanctions, the US frames the sale as a necessary sustainment measure for existing aircraft rather than an escalation.
Russia’s exit on November 7, 2023, from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), with the U.S. and NATO partners suspending their participating in the treaty highlights real concerns.
U.S. companies, importers and retailers will bear the initial costs which most economists expect to filter through the supply chain as a cost-push inflation.