US President Joe Biden delivers remarks with Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer as they announce Breyer will retire at the end of the court's current term, at the White House in Washington, US, January 27, 2022. (Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

During a meeting in the Oval Office, Biden said he planned to notify the US Congress soon of the designation, which is granted to close, non-NATO allies that have strategic working relationships with the US military.

Qatar is the world's largest supplier of liquefied natural gas and may divert supplies to Europe if the Ukraine conflict disrupts Russian gas deliveries to the continent.

Biden's agenda for the Oval Office also included the Iran nuclear talks and relations with Afghanistan, where Washington's interests are now represented by the small Gulf country.