What Jokowi Discussed in His Phone Call with Prince MBS, from the War to Oil Prices

JAKARTA - President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated that several matters were discussed during his phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) on Wednesday (11/3/2026). Jokowi recounted that the call took place when the war between the United States and Israel against Iran had been ongoing for three days. “I called when the war was just three days old; I called my brother in the United Arab Emirates—His Royal Highness MBS—and asked, ‘Your Highness, when will the war end?’” Jokowi said in a speech at the National Fellowship and Halal Bihalal event for the 1st Anniversary of YouTuber Nusantara, quoted from the YouTuber Nusantara YouTube account on Saturday (4/4/2026). “I asked right at the start, ‘When do you think the war will end?’ The response was uncertain and unclear,” Jokowi added. Jokowi continued that he followed up by asking MBS about the oil prices, which had risen due to the escalation of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. “Then I asked, ‘How high will the oil price go?’ The answer was also uncertain and unclear. Because the calculations are indeed very complicated, the calculations are extremely difficult,” he said. “I called his minister there again, and the answer was the same. Even those inside the war circle cannot estimate it, let alone us here,” he stated. “It is very difficult to estimate, to predict when the war will end and when the oil price will return to normal,” Jokowi added. “Therefore, let us pray together that our state budget and our fiscal position remain strong to face these unclear shocks that we are experiencing now,” Jokowi explained.