The U.S. government has made a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia conditional on the kingdom joining the Abraham Accords [1].

This move uses the promise of nuclear technology as diplomatic leverage to push for the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. By linking energy cooperation to a geopolitical shift, the administration seeks to expand a peace strategy first initiated during President Donald Trump's first term [3].

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on July 23, 2026 [1], that the agreement is contingent upon Saudi Arabia joining the accords. The announcement came as the two nations signed the cooperation deal in Washington, D.C. [1], [2].

"The civilian nuclear cooperation agreement is contingent upon Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords," Leavitt said [2].

President Donald Trump echoed this position, making it clear that the U.S. would not provide the technology without a diplomatic commitment. "We will not move forward unless Saudi Arabia joins the Abraham Accords," Trump said [1].

Leavitt said that the Abraham Accords were a cornerstone of the president's previous term and that it has been his long-term goal to bring peace to the Middle East [3].

During the announcement, reporters questioned whether the deal would allow Saudi Arabia to develop nuclear enrichment capabilities. Leavitt said the agreement does not include enrichment [2], [4].

While some reports on the signing of the cooperation agreement did not initially mention the conditionality [5], the White House has since confirmed that the deal is strictly linked to the normalization process [1], [2].

“"The civilian nuclear cooperation agreement is contingent upon Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords."”

This policy represents a transactional approach to Middle East diplomacy, where high-value technical assets, such as civilian nuclear energy, are exchanged for strategic diplomatic alignment. By making the deal conditional, the U.S. is attempting to force a historic shift in Saudi-Israeli relations, which would significantly alter the regional security architecture and consolidate the Abraham Accords framework.