{"id":10437,"date":"2026-10-21T17:08:17","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T17:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=10437"},"modified":"2026-10-21T17:08:17","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T17:08:17","slug":"macron-makes-surprise-saudi-visit-as-france-secures-extra-diesel-supplies-energy-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=10437","title":{"rendered":"Macron makes surprise Saudi visit as France secures extra diesel supplies | Energy News"},"content":{"rendered":"
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French president meets Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh to discuss energy, security, and infrastructure as cost-of-living protests rage at home.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Published On 21 Oct 2026<\/span>21 Oct 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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French President Emmanuel Macron visited Riyadh on a surprise \u201csolidarity\u201d visit, making him the first Western leader to touch down in Saudi Arabia since the Houthis intensified their attacks this month.<\/p>\n

The unannounced trip comes as Saudi Arabia agreed to supply extra diesel to France \u201cfor as many months as necessary\u201d, the Elysee Palace told the AFP news agency on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

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The visit aims to \u201cdemonstrate France\u2019s solidarity with the kingdom in the face of the attacks carried out by the Houthis against its territory, and to continue efforts undertaken on securing and diversifying hydrocarbon supplies\u201d, the French presidency said earlier.<\/p>\n

The diplomatic push follows days of rioting<\/a> in France, fuelled by the cost of living, especially as the US-Iran war and Iran\u2019s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have kept energy prices high.<\/p>\n

Faced with criticism of his Gulf tour at home, Macron told reporters he was just \u201cdoing his job\u201d in a bid to \u201cease tensions\u201d over petrol prices, one of the causes of social unrest in France.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere must be no sign of febrility,\u201d he said. \u201cI am fulfilling my role. I am at my post.\u201d<\/p>\n

Macron met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Saudi capital, and the two agreed to consult on expanding security cooperation and on infrastructure projects to bypass the blockaded strait, the palace said.<\/p>\n

It did not say how much extra diesel Saudi Arabia would supply.<\/p>\n

Macron\u2019s Gulf tour<\/h2>\n

The deal follows pledges secured earlier in Macron\u2019s Gulf tour. The presidency said on Tuesday that the United Arab Emirates had committed to about 100,000 tonnes a month<\/a>, with a further 100,000 tonnes monthly to be secured in Bahrain.<\/p>\n

Together with Saudi deliveries, France now has commitments for 295,000 tonnes a month, just more than 10 percent of its consumption, it said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, France is also sending military assets to Saudi Arabia<\/a>, under an earlier agreement, to help protect the Red Sea port of Yanbu, which has come under attack from the Iran-backed Houthis, an armed group also known as Ansar Allah (Arabic for Supporters of God).<\/p>\n

The United Kingdom also announced on Tuesday that it would deploy<\/a> fighter jets to help shield the kingdom. Both countries say their support is purely defensive.<\/p>\n

Analysts say the moves protect Saudi oil exports that matter to Europe\u2019s energy markets and bolster the Gulf alliance as the US shows reluctance to offer direct military help. They also carry risks, analysts say, potentially drawing the two European states into the protracted Saudi-Houthi conflict.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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French president meets Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh to discuss energy, security, and infrastructure as cost-of-living protests rage at home. Published On 21 Oct 202621 Oct 2026 French President Emmanuel Macron visited Riyadh on a surprise \u201csolidarity\u201d visit, making him the first Western leader to touch down in Saudi Arabia since the Houthis…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-international-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t