The president is eager to reassure European nations that they will not suffer natural gas shortages if a war between Ukraine and Russia breaks out in the weeks ahead. Russia is one of the largest suppliers of natural gas to Germany and other countries in western Europe.

The move could be helpful in Qatar’s bid to get US approval for a more than $500 million sale of MQ-9 Reaper drones The request has been languishing since 2020, when Trump was still in office.

Qatar is the 18th country in the world and 3rd country in gulf region (after Kuwait and Bahrain) and to receive this designation, the last being Brazil in 2019. The designation provides benefits in defence trade and security cooperation. This a great opportunity for Qatar to improve its relationship with US after Afghanistan said Yesar Al-Maleki, an energy economist at the Middle East Institute in Washington.

According to a senior US official, Qatar’s willingness to fund and manage the expansion with such a hefty price tag played a role in honouring Doha. This was besides the current energy dynamics in the Russia-Ukraine military situation. The military base in Qatar also serves as the headquarters of the US Central Command and hosts about 10,000 US troops. As it is well known, Washington has been very appreciative of the assistance Doha provided in the US evacuation of civilians from Afghanistan and the management of US interests there since the American withdrawal. Doha has also played a key role in other areas of US concern, including Iran and Palestinian issues. The administration also credits Qatar with helping to limit last year’s violent conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

This will open up a full new range of opportunities: exercises, operations and you know, perhaps, the ... acquisition of capabilities as well.” In other words, the designation of Qatar as an MNNA could be beneficial for this deal and impact the status of the sales.

The timing

The timing of Qatar’s designation is no surprise considering the tensions alongside the Ukrainian border. Since Moscow controls over 40 percent of the EU’s natural gas supplies, American and European officials have been looking for other options to fulfill their natural gas needs. Controlling 22 percent of the natural gas market and 12 percent of its transportation (amounting to 72 tankers), Qatar is a natural candidate to play a significant role.

Qatar boasts the world’s second-largest liquified natural gas (LNG) export capacity. With the United States, which ranks as the third, Doha and Washington are trying to make up the difference in case Russia, the world’s sixth-largest exporter, turns off the taps on Europe. Most energy experts indicate that Russia will not weaponize its natural gas since its entire economy depends on it. On the other hand, there is a higher chance – albeit also not very likely – that Gazprom, the Russian gas behemoth, could be sanctioned.

As regard to additional deals

Another significant economic point of discussion between President Biden and Sheikh Tamim was the agreement signed between Boeing and Qatar Airways. As per this agreement, Qatar will buy up to 102 planes with a total value of approximately US$ 34 billion.

Thus by being major NATO ally Qatar will enjoy various benefits and will have good economic status among other countries

The term 'major non-NATO ally' (MNNA) refers to close allies that have strategic professional ties with the US Armed Forces and are not part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). While the position does not automatically entail a mutual defense treaty with the United States, it does offer several military and financial benefits that non-NATO nations do not have.

MNNA status was initially established in 1987, when Congress introduced Section 2350a, sometimes known as the Sam Nunn Amendment, to Title 10 of the United States Code. It said that the Secretary of Defense might enter into joint research and development contracts with non-NATO partners with the approval of the Secretary of State. Israel, Australia, Japan, Egypt, and South Korea were the first MNNAs. Major non-NATO allies acquired further military and financial benefits in 1996 when Section 2321k was introduced to Title 22 of the United States Code, granting MNNAs many of the same exclusions from the Arms Export Control Act as NATO members. It also gave the President the authority to designate a country as an MNNA 30 days after informing Congress. When it was passed, the Act classified the first five nations as key non-NATO allies, and Jordan and New Zealand were added to the list.