At the center of the talks, regional security, economic cooperation and probably the thorny issue of the VIP plane donated by Qatar

US President Donald Trump today kicked off a 10-day tour of the Middle East, a high-voltage diplomatic trip that will take him to seven key countries in the region. The first stop was Saudi Arabia, where the president landed a few hours ago, welcomed with official ceremonies and meetings with Saudi leaders.

The tour, which will end on May 23, includes stops in:

- Saudi Arabia (13-14 May): The talks will focus on security cooperation and the fight against terrorism, as well as economic relations and investments.

- Israel (May 14-16): Meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog. The main topics will be regional security, the Iranian nuclear program and developments in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

- Palestine (May 16): Talks with President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, focusing on the peace process and the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories.

- Jordan (May 17): Meetings with King Abdullah II focused on regional stability, the Syrian crisis and security cooperation.

- Egypt (May 18-19): Talks with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on counter-terrorism, the situation in Libya and bilateral relations.

- Qatar (May 20-21): In addition to discussing economic cooperation and regional security, a topic of discussion is likely to be the B-747-8i VIP plane donated by the Qatari government to Trump. As widely reported, his acceptance of the gift is now beyond doubt, but the transformation of this plane into a future Air Force One is raising questions about the costs to American taxpayers (see AVIONEWS 1 and 2).

- United Arab Emirates (22-23 May): Meetings with Emirati leaders to strengthen cooperation in various sectors, including defence and economy.

This Middle East tour represents a sensitive moment for US foreign policy in the region. Trump will seek to reassure allies, address security challenges, and promote stability in a complex and evolving geopolitical environment. The outcome of the talks, particularly those regarding the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the Iranian issue, will be closely monitored by the international community. The “hot potato” of the Qatari plane, with its potentially high costs for its transformation, adds an additional element of interest to this presidential trip.

The two videos below illustrate the president's landing on Saudi soil, and the welcome he received: