Energy was the key agenda item between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and French President Emmanuel Macron, during talks in Paris that were regarded as a diplomatic rehabilitation of the de facto head of the Saudi kingdom.
Aides to the French president had said ahead of the discussions on Thursday that Macron will reiterate a request made by US President Joe Biden during a trip to Riyadh earlier this month: that Saudi Arabia increase its oil production to assist lower petroleum prices.
In a statement released on Friday, the presidential office said that Macron had “underlined the necessity of continuing the existing collaboration with Saudi Arabia with regards to the diversification of energy sources for European nations,” without specifically mentioning oil or gas.
Russia’s oil and gas supplies are either not available to European Union countries due to sanctions or are being withheld by Moscow, thus Europe is desperately looking for fossil fuel alternatives.
One of the few nations in the world having the ability to raise output is Saudi Arabia.
According to the French statement, Macron and MBS also talked about food security in light of worries about famines brought on by the loss of Ukrainian grain and decided to try “to lessen the effects” of the war in Ukraine.
According to Macron’s office, the President and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia stressed the necessity of ending this dispute and stepping up their cooperation, in order to lessen the impacts on Europe, the Middle East, and the rest of the globe.
The conflict in Yemen was also brought up by the two leaders. According to the statement, the French president expressed his hope that the ceasefire would continue and praised Saudi Arabia for its efforts to “find a political, global and inclusive solution under the supervision of the United Nations.”
