President Biden reaffirmed the U.S. partnership and commitment to work with the Middle East as Saudi Arabia announces it will increase its oil production. 

"The U.S. is going to remain an active partner in the Middle East as the world grows more competitive," Biden told reporters on Saturday in Jeddah. "It’s only becoming clearer to me how closely woven America’s interests are with successes in the Middle East. We will not walk away to leave a vacuum to be filled by China, Russia or Iran."

He added, "We will seek to build on this moment with active, principled, American leadership."

Biden’s comments follow a busy series of talks with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman regarding energy production and human rights. The crown prince announced that Saudi Arabia would increase production from roughly 10 million barrels of crude oil per day to 13 million. 

SAUDI ARABIA AGREES TO INCREASE OIL PRODUCTION LEVELS, WILL HELP ‘STABILIZE MARKETS,’ WHITE HOUSE SAYS

"Energy producers have increased production, and I look forward to seeing what’s coming in the next month," Biden said of the development. The White House has stressed that it does not expect the output to occur immediately but rather over the coming months. 

Another topic of considerable conversation – and one that likely factored into ensuring Saudi Arabia’s cooperation on the much-needed increase in oil output – focused on Iran’s increasingly developed nuclear capabilities.