President Biden Met With Qatar Leader To Make A Special Announcement

President Joe Biden declared Qatar a “Major Non-NATO Ally” during his meeting Monday with Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the emir of Qatar.

The designation comes amid ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine and means increased security cooperation in the Gulf, as Russia supplies a significant amount of natural gas to Western European countries, in part, the move is intended to ensure a potential Russia-Ukraine war won’t lead to shortages

“I think it’s long overdue,” Biden told reporters of the decision to declare Qatar a “Major Non-NATO Ally.”

In a readout of the meeting, The White House noted the two leaders have a “mutual interest in promoting security and prosperity in the Gulf and broader Middle East region, ensuring the stability of global energy supplies, supporting the people of Afghanistan, and strengthening commercial and investment cooperation.”

The administration also noted Qatar Airways’ $20 billion deal to buy Boeing planes – a move Biden claimed will help with U.S. jobs.

Qatar, which joins 17 other countries as “Major Non-NATO” allies, recently brokered a deal with the Taliban that will allow chartered evacuations out of the country to resume. The agreement ends a months-long flight halt due to fighting between Qatar and the Afghan government.

Qatar Airways will now be allowed to charter two weekly flights out of Afghanistan. This means countries, including the U.S., can get more citizens, as well as left-behind, at-risk Afghans, out of Afghanistan.

Qatar’s emir is the first Gulf leader to join Biden at the White House in Washington, D.C.

Following the meeting, Biden issued a formal notice of his decision to leaders in Congress.

While declaring a country a “Major Non-NATO Ally” doesn’t mean the U.S. has an obligation to defend that country, it does extend some technology and training to Qatar.

The White House described the relationship between the U.S. and Qatar as a “strategic partnership” that “has deepened over the past 50 years.”