The recent move by OPEC+ to decrease oil output came at the “worst possible moment” and will have “wide-ranging” impacts, according to a U.S. official.
Despite the decision by the oil cartel, and subsequent criticism leveled against Saudi Arabia, Leaf insisted that the Middle East nation remains a strong ally of Washington.
The Biden administration would take a “methodical” approach to deal with Riyadh, she said. “Nobody has suggested an escalation … I will undoubtedly go to Saudi Arabia at some point, just not on this visit.”
OPEC+ members have publicly stated that the decision to reduce output was a unanimous one. However, Washington has accused Saudi Arabia of engineering the output reduction for political reasons, and pointed out that the organization’s decision would end up boosting Russia’s foreign earnings.
Political and Economic Consequences
A group of congressional Democrats is seeking to take back U.S. missile systems and other armaments in Saudi Arabia as a retaliatory measure to punish the Middle Eastern nation.Meanwhile, Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) called for an investigation into a claim made by a Saudi official that the Biden administration had asked them to delay the OPEC+ decision to cut oil output until after the November midterm elections.
“With unrelenting inflationary pressures and interest-rate hikes taking their toll, higher oil prices may prove the tipping point for a global economy already on the brink of recession,” the agency said.