WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — On the sidelines of the June 2015 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Russia and Saudi Arabia discussed plans for future arms deals. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told the press that nothing prevents Saudi Arabia from purchasing Russian defense systems.
“What they [Saudi Arabia] are telling us is that they think they have to go their own way, because they can no longer rely on us,” McCain said in a speech to the Hudson Institute.
McCain noted that US relations with Gulf allies have “come a long way,” to the point that Saudi Arabia and Russia could enter into an arms deal for “the first time in history.”
Saudi Arabia has increased military spending to approximately $80 billion in 2015, a 17 percent increase over the previous year, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The country has traditionally purchased its military hardware from the West.
