After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Saudi Arabia declined U.S. requests to increase oil production and thus undercut Russia's war finances.[1][197][198] The Wall Street Journal wrote in April 2022 that the US-Saudi relationship was at "its lowest point in decades."[195] In April 2022, CIA Director William Burns traveled to Saudi Arabia to meet with bin Salman, asking him to increase the country’s oil production. They also discussed Saudi weapons purchases from China.[199]