Ambassador Michael Ratney served for over three decades as a distinguished U.S. diplomat and has been at the center of high-profile diplomatic initiatives throughout the Middle East. Prior to serving as U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ratney served as the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy to Israel in 2021, where he was responsible for conduct of U.S. diplomacy with Israel, as well as diplomatic engagement with Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. From 2015 to 2017, he served as the U.S. special envoy for Syria where he was responsible for U.S. relations with the Syrian opposition and led diplomatic engagements on Syria with partners in Europe and the Middle East, as well as ceasefire negotiations with Russia. Ratney speaks Arabic and French, is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and earned a BS from Boston University and an MA from George Washington University.

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Saudi Arabia Faces the Era of Disequilibrium

Saudi Arabia faces a new era of uncertainty. The Iran war has exposed the kingdom to the vulnerabilities of regional conflict, prompting Riyadh to rethink its security partnerships, energy strategy, and Vision 2030 ambitions.

Commentary by Michael Ratney — September 24, 2026

Will the U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Deal Proceed?

President Trump's last-minute link between the U.S.-Saudi nuclear agreement and Israel normalization injects new uncertainty into an already contentious deal.

Commentary by Michael Ratney — July 23, 2026

Audio Briefs

Will the U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Deal Proceed?

An audio version of "⁠Will the U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Deal Proceed?⁠," a new commentary by CSIS’s Michael Ratney. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Michael Ratney — July 23, 2026

Audio Briefs

Beyond Oil: Vision 2030 at Ten

This installment of Charting the Middle East explores the progress Saudi Arabia has made in diversifying its economy 10 years after the launch of Vision 2030.

Newsletter by Michael Ratney — July 15, 2026

Saudi Vision 2030 at Ten

Ten years after its launch, Vision 2030 remains Saudi Arabia's roadmap for resilience. The Iran war reinforced—not weakened—the case for economic diversification, with AI, digital infrastructure, and strategic adaptation now central to the kingdom's long-term ambitions.

Brief by Michael Ratney and Adel Hamaizia — July 6, 2026