The Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, received a phone call from French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday.
The call involved a review of the bilateral relations between the Kingdom and France and ways to enhance cooperation across various fields, in addition to discussing several topics of mutual interest, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The conversation also included an exchange of views on various regional and international issues and their recent implications, with efforts being made to achieve security and stability.
According to a statement from the Élysée Palace about the call, the primary focus was on the urgent need to reach an agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza that ensures the protection of all civilians, allows for the widespread entry of emergency aid, and secures the release of all hostages, including three French nationals.
Macron reiterated France’s strong opposition to the Israeli attack on Rafah, which could only lead to a new scale of humanitarian disaster.
Regarding humanitarian aid, President Macron noted that France is fully mobilized and continues, along with its partners, to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.
Politically, Macron affirmed that a two-state solution, which includes the establishment of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel, is the only way to meet the security needs of Israel and the Palestinian people and to address the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinians.
He stressed that it’s about giving an irreversible and decisive push to this solution, to which France was ready to contribute.
The discussion also touched upon the regional situation, where President Macron emphasized the need to halt escalation in Lebanon and the Red Sea. He also reminded of the messages France sends to all regional parties, especially Iran, on this matter. The Élysée statement mentioned France’s readiness to work alongside Saudi Arabia and the Contact Group (Arab and Islamic), hosted by Macron last November, to stop the spread of conflict in the region and work towards creating conditions for lasting peace in the Middle East.
Finally, regarding the French-Saudi bilateral relationship, both sides welcomed the strategic partnership that binds the two countries and the deepening of bilateral cooperation.
Macron and the Saudi Crown Prince discussed areas where this cooperation could be enhanced, including defense, energy, and culture.
He specifically mentioned the economic corridor project between India, the Middle East, and Europe, which has become more critical than ever given the increasing instability in the Red Sea.
