US Democrats threaten Saudi Arabia with arms freeze if it cuts oil supply

Democrats in the US Congress have issued a fresh ultimatum to Saudi Arabia, giving the kingdom weeks to reverse the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec+) decision to roll back oil production or face a potential one-year freeze of all arms sales.

- Stephanie Kirchgaessner, Julian Borger

The threat came as the US president, Joe Biden, reiterated his pledge to "take action" after Saudi Arabia's decision last week to cut oil outputs by 2m barrels per day, which Democrats have said would help "fuel Vladimir Putin's war machine" and hurt American consumers when they go to the petrol pump.

Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, said Biden was also "looking at" a possible halt in arms sales as part of a broader "reevaluation" of the US relationship with Saudi Arabia, but that no move was imminent.

On Capitol Hill, the anger was far more palpable, as was the desire for swift and specific retribution for what has been seen as a stunning blunder by a key ally in the Middle East.

The tensions and vow to "rebalance" the relationship could have ripple effects far beyond petrol prices: from determining the future of the emerging apparent alliance between Putin's Russia and the Saudi heir, to negotiations over Iran, and Russia's financial strength in its continuing assault on Ukraine.

While some analysts have pointed out that the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, might have been seeking to tip the scales of next month's critical midterm elections in Republicans' favour, Democrats downplayed the allegation that the Saudis were seeking to interfere in the polls.