Macron makes surprise Saudi stop to back Riyadh and secure fuel
Emmanuel Macron made an unannounced stop in Riyadh on Wednesday, becoming the first Western leader to visit Saudi Arabia since Houthi attacks escalated this month. He met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the two sides agreed that Saudi Arabia would provide extra diesel to France and discuss broader security and infrastructure cooperation. The trip also sought to calm French public anger over fuel prices after recent protests.
Macron’s stop in Riyadh was unannounced and lasted under three hours, according to an AFP reporter traveling with him. He met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and said Saudi Arabia would send France extra diesel for as long as needed. The two sides also planned talks on security and infrastructure meant to avoid the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.
Before arriving, Macron said French personnel and equipment had been at Yanbu for eight days helping protect it. The UK said Tuesday it would send fighter jets to help Saudi Arabia. Attacks have closed Riyadh’s main airport, pushed back a major investment gathering and put Saudi oil shipments at risk.
The fuel arrangement may ease pressure on French households and businesses facing high energy costs, though its effect on pump prices could be limited and uneven. Closer French-Saudi security cooperation might reassure Riyadh and shipping interests, but it could also draw France deeper into regional tensions. Saudi civilians and workers near attacked sites remain exposed, while European consumers may feel the knock-on effects of oil-export disruptions and Strait of Hormuz risks.