Saudis must recognise Israel for nuclear deal, says Trump
US President Donald Trump said a landmark deal to help Saudi Arabia develop nuclear energy depends on Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords. Trump linked the nuclear cooperation agreement directly to Saudi recognition of Israel, a step Riyadh has not yet taken.
US President Donald Trump said Saudi Arabia's participation in a landmark civil nuclear energy agreement hinges on the kingdom joining the Abraham Accords and formally recognizing Israel. Trump described the nuclear cooperation deal as a package tied directly to Saudi normalization with Israel.
The Abraham Accords, brokered during Trump's first term, established diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab states, though Saudi Arabia has so far stayed outside the framework. Riyadh has previously said normalization would require progress on a pathway to Palestinian statehood, a condition Trump's latest remarks did not directly address.
Trump's comments raise the stakes for ongoing Saudi-US talks on civil nuclear cooperation, which Riyadh has pursued for years as part of its energy diversification plans. It remains unclear whether Saudi Arabia will accept the linkage or whether the nuclear deal could move forward without a formal recognition step.
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