Although it has all the predispositions to become a leading country in the Middle East region, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) competes with other regional actors for that position in various aspects. The first chapter introduces us to the roots of the problems that can be found in the creation of the state of KSA and gives us an insight into more important elements of the origin, history, population, position, economy and the role of KSA in the region and globally. The second chapter describes KSA's national security and its problematic aspects. Thus, it identifies them in entrenched cultural and educational patterns accepted in Arab societies, which then influences economic policy and military capability. This is followed by a review of national security systems such as the army, police, and intelligence services. Next, the specificity of the KSA is described, where there is an influence of religious politics on national security, which aspect is then connected to the problems of the domestic and foreign politics of KSA. The previous examinations introduce us to the third chapter, which describes the aspect of the strategic leadership of Crown Prince Mohamad bin Salman and his attempt to mitigate/solve the problem aforementioned and to take a leading position in the Middle East region in the future. By analysing the implementation of MBS's new domestic and foreign policies and goals that are to be implemented through the VISION 2030 transformation program, related to aspects of the economy and education policy, this part of the paper aims to confirm the hypothesis. Namely, the recognition of the problem and the attempt to address it is a confirmation that, due to the problematic aspects of national security analysed in the work, KSA, although a regional "big" player, is not a "leading nation" or a "key player" in the region today or in the near future.