US designates Saudi Arabia a major non-NATO ally
(VOVWORLD) - US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will designate Saudi Arabia a major non-NATO ally, a status currently held by Israel, Japan, and South Korea.
The announcement came during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to Washington. During the two-day visit, Saudi Arabia raveled plans to invest 1 trillion USD in the US.
Trump said making Saudi Arabia an ally will expand military cooperation between the two countries. The US has just agreed to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.
According to the US State Department, major non-NATO ally status will provide Saudi Arabia with certain advantages in trade, defense, and security cooperation, but does not oblige the US to guarantee its security.