U.S. President Biden departed Saudi Arabia for Washington, D.C. on Saturday following a summit with six Gulf states and Egypt, Jordan and Iraq.

Washington has softened its stance on Saudi Arabia since Russia began its military operation in Ukraine earlier this year, triggering one of the world’s worst energy supply crises.

Biden’s meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman proved highly sensitive when the president raised human rights and he sought to integrate Israel as part of a new regional security alliance largely driven by shared concerns over Iran.

President Biden told the Arab Summit on Saturday that the U.S. would remain firmly committed to its allies in the Middle East and was “not going anywhere.”

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said he was not aware of any discussion on a defense alliance with Israel in the summit with U.S. President Biden. 

Biden told Arab leaders on Saturday that the United States would remain an active partner in the Middle East, but he left the Middle East on Saturday without securing an immediate pledge by Saudi Arabia to boost oil output or garner  support for U.S. efforts for a regional security axis that would include Israel.

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