On late Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Kuwait, where he came together with high-ranking officials in the Gulf state, which is a close ally of the United States in the region. Blinken’s trip came following the US diplomat’s visit to India, within the scope of his tour between July 26-29, as part of US efforts to strengthen cooperation with its regional allies.
Starting his visit to Kuwait on early Thursday, the US top diplomat came together with a group of American diplomats. Blinken was received by Kuwait’s ruler, Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah at the Royal Palace. Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal and Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmed Nasser were also present at the meeting.
Blinken reportedly discussed with senior Kuwaiti officials several issues, including military cooperation, regional security, and investment opportunities during the visit. The US Secretary’s three-day trip, including India and Kuwait, is considered as US attempts to solidify a regional block against China’s aggressive foreign policy followed in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as the increase of Chinese visibility in Afghanistan.
While American troops are about to complete their withdrawal from the war-torn country after a 20-year military campaign, it is seen that China sought opportunities to fulfill the gap in the region. The Taliban delegation’s recent visit to China, comprised of high-level representatives, could be evaluated in this context.
The oil-rich Gulf country is one of the closest allies of the US in the region, particularly since the 1991 Gulf War. It is estimated that Kuwait hosts around 13.500 American troops, most of whom are deployed at Camp Arifjan, south of Kuwait City, as frontline soldiers of the US Army Central Command.
