By Dr. Arben Ramkaj
The recent visit of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Washington may emerge as one of the defining diplomatic moments of this decade. Nothing about this trip was improvised. For weeks, senior Saudi officials travelled to the U.S. capital to prepare the ground, defense chiefs, economic ministers, and the leadership of the Public Investment Fund. Their presence signaled that Riyadh approached this visit not as a ceremonial engagement, but as a strategic intervention aimed at reshaping the political, security, and economic architecture of the Middle East and redefining its partnership with the United States.
At the heart of the Saudi agenda lies the question of regional security. Under Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has transformed itself from the world’s largest arms importer into a country building its own military capacity at remarkable speed. Domestic defense production has grown from 2 percent in 2016 to nearly 25 percent today, with the objective of reaching 50 percent by 2030. This shift signals a country determined not only to defend itself but to become an anchor of regional stability. In Washington, the Crown Prince advanced proposals for joint production of advanced weapons systems, the transfer of critical military technologies, and long-term partnerships that would embed American companies into Saudi Arabia’s growing defense-industrial ecosystem. These efforts follow closely on Riyadh’s recent defense pact with Pakistan, a significant development that indicates Saudi Arabia’s intent to build a multi-layered network of security alliances extending across continents.
The political dimension of the visit is equally consequential, particularly regarding Gaza and the Palestinian question. Riyadh has made its stance unmistakably clear: no strategic pact with Washington can bypass a credible roadmap toward a Palestinian state. In the aftermath of the Gaza war, Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as the most influential Arab actor capable of shaping the parameters of a post-war settlement. It demands a durable political solution for Gaza, an end to Israeli annexation policies in the West Bank, the safeguarding of Islamic holy sites, and the consolidation of Palestinian governing institutions. Few regional actors possess the diplomatic weight or legitimacy to push for such a framework; Riyadh is one of them.
Other crises featured prominently in the discussions. Sudan’s dramatic slide toward state failure has alarmed both Riyadh and Washington, prompting calls for coordinated pressure on the warring factions, particularly the RSF militia. On Syria, Saudi Arabia is advocating a structured plan for the restoration of full Syrian sovereignty, international support for reconstruction, and constraints on unilateral airstrikes. The agenda extends further, touching on Yemen’s fragile ceasefire, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Lebanon’s chronic instability, and the global implications of the war in Ukraine. What distinguishes Saudi diplomacy today is its capacity to engage simultaneously on multiple regional files something almost no other Middle Eastern power can claim.
Alongside politics and security, the economic dimension of the visit underscores Saudi Arabia’s ambition to redefine its place in the global economy. In Washington, the Crown Prince convened a major forum featuring ministers of economy, investment, energy, technology, and industry, together with the leadership of the Public Investment Fund one of the world’s largest sovereign investment vehicles. The topics under discussion ranged from artificial intelligence and frontier technologies to semiconductor manufacturing, clean energy partnerships, green hydrogen, and critical minerals. Saudi Arabia is no longer simply an energy supplier; it is positioning itself as a hub of global innovation and a future leader in high-tech, low-carbon industrial production.
Although the visit is built around U.S.–Saudi relations, its implications extend far beyond the two capitals. Europe will feel the effects through energy markets, migration dynamics, and new opportunities for investment. The Western Balkans, including Albania, should also take note. As Saudi Arabia expands its global presence, new openings are emerging for cooperation in energy transition, digital infrastructure, tourism, and critical technologies. Countries in our region that understand the scale of Riyadh’s transformation will be better placed to connect with the economic and strategic opportunities that follow.
This was not a courtesy visit. It was a moment of strategic clarity in a world marked by uncertainty and overlapping crises. The Middle East is entering a period of profound reconfiguration, and Saudi Arabia is no longer content to be a passive observer of the shifting landscape. By engaging Washington at this level especially through direct discussions between the Crown Prince and President Donald Trump the Kingdom is signaling that it intends to shape the terms of the emerging regional order rather than adapt to frameworks designed elsewhere.
In the years to come, this visit may be remembered as a turning point. For the United States, it offers a chance to anchor a reliable partner at the center of the Arab world. For Saudi Arabia, it provides recognition of its rise as a global actor with influence stretching from the Gulf to Africa, Europe, and beyond. For the region, it may mark the first steps toward a more structured and predictable future. If the conversations held in Washington crystallize into enduring frameworks for security, political coordination, and technological partnership, this moment could well define the trajectory of the Middle East for the next decade.
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