Analysis
The SIC journalist and commentator, Rui Cardoso considers that Cristiano Ronaldo will be presented as an “trump card” for Saudi Arabia and highlights the political and strategic importance of the meeting with Donald Trump, such as the possibility of Riyadh acquiring F-35 planes.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s visit to the White House this afternoon should be read above all as a diplomatic strategy by Saudi Arabia, according to journalist and SIC commentator Rui Cardoso, which highlights the hypothesis of F-35 fighter jet negotiations. The commentator also analyzes the 10-year agreement between France and Ukraine and the UN Security Council decision on the peace plan for Gaza.
“It’s Saudi Arabia showing its assets. One of those assets is, obviously, Cristiano Ronaldo, who is an international brand with presence and value.”
One might think that Ronaldo should be like a showcase for Portugal, Rui Cardoso believes that “The problem is that he plays secondarily for the Portuguese national team and plays 90% of the time for those millionaire clubs in Saudi Arabia fed by petrodollars.”
Donald Trump has already shown a desire to interfere in the 2026 World Cup, “wanting to move games away from cities that he thinks are not safe, this actually means cities that are not governed by people politically affected by Trump.”
“Trump can’t resist trying to put his finger on what they leave him.”
Sale of F-35 to Saudi Arabia and the impact on the Middle East
Among the topics that should mark the meeting, Rui Cardoso highlights the F-35 fighter jets.
“The most important issue there is called F-35s. If Saudi Arabia were to acquire them, this would alter the regional balance: the only regional power that has them is Israel, and it has used them in the way we have seen. If Saudi Arabia receives them, this would cause enormous concerns for Israel.”
The Saudi crown prince has been clear about what he demands in return: “There has to be a two-state solution, there has to be a Palestinian state, without that they will not enter into any negotiations, namely diplomatic recognition of Israel.”
Spain and France send political signal to Putin
The commentator also analyzes the 10-year agreement between France and Ukraine, which provides for the delivery of 100 Rafale fighter jets, drones, missile systems and anti-aircraft defenses and the meeting between Zelensky and the President of the Spanish Government, where it should be discussed an increase in support for Ukraine
“At least Spain and France send strong signals to Putin that they are on Zelensky’s side, while Trump, by not sending even a Tomahawk to be sampled, sends the wrong signals to Putin.”
According to the commentator, this passivity encourages Moscow to continue a wara “in which war crime is not the exception, but the norm”.
The international force for Gaza and the future Palestinian state
Regarding the approval, at the UN Security Council, of Donald Trump’s peace plan, Rui Cardoso highlights two points.
“The most important thing about this Security Council decision is that, first, it legitimizes the international force, and then, second, it links the presence of the international force to the construction of the future Palestinian state. And this is what, again, causes, like the F-35s, potential for Saudi Arabia, it causes weeping and gnashing of teeth in Israel, with Ben-Gvirso-called Minister of Security, saying that if there is a Palestinian State, if this is approved at the United Nations, that the best thing is to start with a campaign of selective assassinations of Palestinian leaders, which is beautiful and uplifting at a time when there were in fact consultation on the part of China and Russia, which abstained to allow this resolution to pass”.
