Saudi Arabia could share US defense technology with Russia, warns senator
The decision by Saudi Arabia to support Russian interests by cutting oil production next month by 2 million barrels a day along with other OPEC+ nations has caused panic in the United States.
Richard Blumenthal, a member of the Senate armed services committee, said on Monday that there is a chance that Saudi Arabia can share US defense technology with Russia considering the new relationship between the nations. The Democratic politician added that he will “dig deeper into the risk”.
“I want some reassurances that they are on top of it and if there are risks, I want to determine what can be done to mitigate those risks immediately,” Blumenthal told The Guardian in an interview.
Saudi Arabia, a country that shares a political alliance with the US, surprised a number of people by supporting the cut in oil production. According to experts, it was viewed by Washington as a sign of their support for Russia in the ongoing Ukraine war in a major blow to the Joe Biden-led government.
Blumenthal earlier proposed a one-year ban on weapons exports to Riyadh and in the interview, he hinted that the proposal could end up getting bipartisan support in the US Congress.
“We are going to be consulting with the Pentagon, speaking to them very frankly about their assessment of the risk in the transfer of technology in advanced weapons systems made already,” he said.
“I am not leaping to any conclusions, but it needs to be a consideration that is heightened.”
