US President Joe Biden will hold bilateral talks with Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz and the country's leadership, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during a visit to the Middle East next week, a White House official said.

The US president's visit will test his ability to reset his relationship with Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince, whom he has previously called a pariah, Reuters reports.

Biden needs help from oil-rich Saudi Arabia during a period of high U.S. gasoline prices and as he encourages efforts to end the war in Yemen after the Saudis recently extended the ceasefire. The United States also wants to curb Iran's influence in the Middle East and China's global influence.

But it is unclear whether Biden will have personal talks with Crown Prince Mohammed, who the US intelligence community believes is behind the 2018 assassination of Washington Post journalist and political opponent Jamal Khashoggi.

White House spokesman John Kirby confirmed that Biden's trip includes such a meeting.

Biden will also discuss the ceasefire in Yemen and touch on human rights and energy security during meetings with Gulf leaders, Kirby said.

US officials are also discussing the possibility of creating a unified air defense system with regional leaders in the face of the threat from Iran, Kirby said.