Johnson Fails To Secure More Saudi Oil As Executions In Gulf State Overshadow Visit

Boris Johnson has failed to secure commitments from Saudi Arabia to step up oil production to ease cost of living pressures, on a visit that was overshadowed by the announcement of three further executions in the desert kingdom.

- Andrew Woodcock

The prime minister said he had obtained an “understanding” from the Saudis that instability in world markets from a spike in energy prices caused by the Ukraine war was not in their interests. But asked whether he had secured assurances that the oil-rich Gulf state would turn on the taps, he could say only that it was a decision for them.

“I think there’s certainly an understanding that there’s an interest for Saudi Arabia – for all oil-producing and exporting countries – in making sure that the global economy is not damaged by the current spikes, that we don’t get the kind of inflation that we saw in the 1970s, we don’t see the stagflation,” he said. “So it was a very productive conversation.”

Asked if this meant an agreement had been reached, he replied: “I think you need to talk to the Saudis about that, but I think there was an understanding of the need to ensure stability in global oil markets and gas markets and the need to avoid damaging price spikes.”