Washington | President Joe Biden, who as a candidate vowed to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah” in response to the assassination of a prominent dissident, has decided to travel to its capital, Riyadh, this month to rebuild relations with the oil-rich kingdom at a time when he is seeking to lower petrol prices at home and isolate Russia abroad.

Although the logistics and timing were still being worked out, Mr Biden planned to add the visit to a previously scheduled trip to Europe and Israel, administration officials said, asking for anonymity because the trip had not been formally announced.