Top senator proposes 'freeze' on US-Saudi cooperation over Riyadh's oil policy at OPEC

The Democratic chairman of the United States' Senate Foreign Relations Committee has urged the country to freeze its cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including most arms sales, after OPEC+ in which Riyadh is a top producer announced it would cut oil production.

"The United States must immediately freeze all aspects of our cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including any arms sales and security cooperation beyond what is absolutely necessary...," Senator Bob Menendez said in a statement on Monday.

Earlier this week, OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers, collectively called OPEC+, agreed on radical oil production cuts. The move, in turn, would likely lift up gasoline prices, thus increasing Russia and other producer countries' energy revenues.

This is while the US has been scrambling to curb Russia's energy income, which Washington claims goes towards financing Moscow's February-present military operation in Ukraine.

Russia hails OPEC+ for slashing output, says it countered US 'mayhem' in global energy markets

Russia hails a decision by OPEC+ to reduce oil production despite US opposition, saying it successfully countered the "mayhem" sown by Washington in global energy markets.

The operation has been seeking to defend the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk's pro-Russian population against persecution by Kiev. In 2014, the republics broke away from Ukraine, refusing to recognize a Western-backed Ukrainian government that had overthrown a democratically-elected Russia-friendly administration.

"As Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I will not green-light any cooperation with Riyadh until the Kingdom reassesses its position with respect to the war in Ukraine. Enough is enough," Menendez said.

Senator Murphy: Decades-long US-Saudi partnership is ‘broken’

Democratic US Senator Chris Murphy called for a reassessment of the US military alliance with Saudi Arabia after the kingdom and its oil-exporting allies agreed to a production cut.

"There simply is no room to play both sides of this conflict...," he added, saying Riyadh had to choose whether it distances itself from Moscow over the conflict or supports the military operation.

"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia chose the latter in a terrible decision driven by economic self-interest," the senator said.

US President Joe Biden has also called the decision by the OPEC+ "shortsighted."

Despite finding fault with the Russian military operation, the US has been providing unreserved arms as well as logistical and political support for Riyadh's 2015-present war on Yemen.

The war has killed hundreds of thousands and driven the entire Yemen close to the edge of countrywide famine.

7 years of carnage in Yemen: Sana’a says Saudis, allies committed ‘unprecedented war crimes’

The Saudi-led military coalition has overtly attempted to starve the Yemeni people, says the war-stricken country’s foreign minister.

The United Nations has described the appalling situation in the war-torn country as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

On the other hand, high oil prices would also come right before the November 8 US midterm elections, when Biden's Democrats are defending their
control of Congress. It could push up gasoline prices in the US ahead of the elections.

Yellen cries foul over OPEC+ production cuts ahead of US midterms

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has cried foul over this week’s decision by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies (OPEC+) to lower oil production, saying it will hurt the global economy.

On Sunday, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen cried foul over the decision by OPEC+ to lower oil production, saying it will hurt the global economy.

“I think OPEC’s decision is unhelpful and unwise — it’s uncertain what impact it will end up having, but certainly, it’s something that, to me, did not seem appropriate, under the circumstances we face,” Yellen said in a phone interview with the Financial Times, adding, “We’re very worried about developing countries and the problems they face.”

Independent US Senator and former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has called for the withdrawal of American troops from Saudi Arabia and an end to military aid to the conservative kingdom for lowering oil production.

Sanders calls for US troop withdrawal from Saudi Arabia, end of selling weapons

Bernie Sanders has called for the withdrawal of American troops from Saudi Arabia and an end to military aid to the conservative kingdom for lowering oil production.

In August, the United States approved massive arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates worth more than $5 billion, amid criticism of their ongoing military aggression in Yemen which has inflicted heavy civilian casualties.

The State Department said Saudi Arabia would buy 300 Patriot MIM-104E missile systems and related equipment for an estimated $3.05 billion. The missile systems can be used to shoot down long-range incoming ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as fighter jets.

Separately, the United States will sell Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) System Missiles and related equipment to the UAE for $2.25 billion.

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