Trump sent a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia to Congress, but demands that Riyadh recognize Israel
Kyiv • UNN
Trump submitted a nuclear deal with Riyadh worth tens of billions of dollars to Congress. It will take effect only after Saudi Arabia recognizes Israel.
US President Donald Trump sent an agreement with Saudi Arabia on civilian nuclear energy to Congress, but insists that it will take effect only after Riyadh normalizes relations with Israel. Reuters reports this, citing a US administration official, UNN writes.
Details
The agreement was reached in July and provides for the possible export of US civilian nuclear technologies to Saudi Arabia. In particular, it concerns the construction of AP1000 reactors by Westinghouse. The project is estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars.
The president’s position has not changed: the agreement will move forward only if Saudi Arabia joins the Abraham Accords
At the same time, Riyadh currently refuses to agree to recognize Israel without clear guarantees for the establishment of a Palestinian state. Talks on normalizing relations between the countries were effectively put on hold after the war in Gaza began in 2023.
Congress now has 90 days to review the nuclear agreement. If lawmakers raise no objections, it will take effect. If it is rejected, Trump may veto the decision, which would require a two-thirds majority to override.
Some US lawmakers and nuclear nonproliferation advocates are already criticizing the agreement. They note that it does not prohibit Saudi Arabia from enriching uranium or reprocessing nuclear waste, which could potentially create a path toward producing nuclear weapons.