U.S. and Saudi Arabia nearing deal on defense pact, White House says

The United States and Saudi Arabia are close to a final agreement on a bilateral defense pact after the U.S. national security adviser made significant progress in talks with the Saudis over the weekend, the White House has said.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Monday the two sides are “closer than we’ve ever been” on a bilateral agreement that is now “near final.”

U.S. and Saudi negotiators are seeking to complete work on a bilateral accord expected to call for formal U.S. guarantees to defend the kingdom as well as Saudi access to more advanced U.S. weaponry, in return for halting Chinese arms purchases and restricting Beijing’s investment in the country.