US President Joe Biden promised Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, on Monday that he will soon designate Qatar as a major non-NATO ally, granting special status to a key friend in a turbulent region. During a meeting in the Oval Office, Biden said he planned to notify the US Congress soon of the designation, which is granted to close, non-NATO allies that have strategic working relationships with the US military.

Qatar is the world’s largest supplier of liquefied natural gas and may divert supplies to Europe if the Ukraine conflict disrupts Russian gas deliveries to the continent.

Biden’s agenda for the Oval Office also included the Iran nuclear talks and relations with Afghanistan, where Washington’s interests are now represented by the small Gulf country.

Source: VOV5