US President Joe Biden said that the purpose of his trip to Saudi Arabia is designed to “reassert” US influence in the Middle East, so there will not be a “vacuum” in the region filled by “Russia or China,” reported the Associated Press.

“I want to make clear that we can continue to lead in the region and not create a vacuum, a vacuum that is filled by China and or Russia, against the interests of both Israel and the United States and many other countries,” Biden said.

This came during Biden’s press conference with Israeli Occupation’s Prime Minister Yair Lapid Thursday during the former’s visit to the Israeli Occupation. This is Biden's first official visit since becoming US President, and tenth visit in total.

Biden also declined to commit to mentioning the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, when he meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“I always bring up human rights, but my position on Khashoggi has been so clear. If anyone doesn’t understand it, in Saudi Arabia or anywhere else, then they haven’t been around for a while,” Biden said.

Biden is scheduled to attend a Summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council plus Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan (known as the GCC+3).