Biden tells several Arab leaders the US 'will not walk away' from the Middle East

• President Biden said the US "will not walk away" from the Middle East while speaking at a summit in Saudi Arabia.
• Biden made the statement during his first trip to the Middle East as president.

President Joe Biden said on Saturday that the United States "will not walk away" from the Middle East, pledging that the US will continue to engage with partners and promote humanitarian efforts in the region, according to the Associated Press.

While speaking at a summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Biden told leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council that his administration would support relationships with nations that share similar interests as the US, the AP reported. The GCC includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman, but Biden also addressed leaders from Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt, Axios reported.

"As the world grows more competitive, and the challenges we face more complex, it is only becoming clearer to me how closely interwoven our interests are with the successes of the Middle East," Biden said. "We will not walk away and leave a vacuum to be filled by China, Russia, or Iran."

According to AP, Biden announced that the US would deliver $1 billion in aid to combat hunger in the region, and he urged his counterparts to ensure human rights, including women's rights, and allow their citizens to speak openly.

"The future will be won by the countries that unleash the full potential of their populations," Biden said according to AP, and that includes allowing people to "question and criticize leaders without fear of reprisal."

The Gulf Cooperation Council summit came a day after Biden visited Saudi Arabia to try to improve relations with the kingdom after previously pledging to make the country a "pariah state" for its alleged involvement in the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Following Biden's controversial meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has reportedly agreed to boost oil production.