French President Emmanuel Macron announced the extension of additional diesel fuel supplies from Saudi Arabia, as well as new supplies from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, to cope with the energy crisis in France.
The French presidential administration reported that an agreement was reached with Saudi authorities to extend the necessary period for additional volumes of diesel fuel obtained to ensure the country's supply.
This agreement was made public following a meeting in Riyadh between Macron and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who is the de facto leader of the kingdom, Mohammed bin Salman.
Previously, Saudi Arabia had already committed to supplying France with an additional 95 thousand tons of diesel fuel in October and November.
Emmanuel Macron made an unscheduled trip to Saudi Arabia, which was the first visit by a Western head of state to the kingdom since the escalation of Houthi rebel attacks in Yemen in early October. This trip was kept secret until the last moment for security reasons.
Before his visit to Saudi Arabia, the French president visited Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar. During the trip to the Persian Gulf countries, Macron also guaranteed an additional supply of 200 thousand tons monthly from the UAE and Bahrain, which the oil company TotalEnergies will distribute across France.
According to sources at the Élysée Palace, quoted by the newspaper Le Monde, the total emergency supplies amount to about 10% of France's diesel fuel consumption.
Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies, who accompanied Macron on the trip, stated in Abu Dhabi: 'We are fulfilling the mission of ensuring supply because there is a risk. This will reassure the French. We will not have a shortage of diesel fuel this winter.'
Pouyanné acknowledged that the company feared a deterioration in the hydrocarbon market, particularly due to the consequences of Ukrainian attacks on Russian infrastructure.
France has faced a sharp rise in fuel prices since February, linked to the war initiated by the US and Israel against Iran, and the subsequent Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz—one of the main global routes for transporting oil and gas.
Paris has already released 10 million barrels from strategic reserves, which, according to French authorities, has helped lower fuel prices at gas stations by 12–18 cents.
The cost of living crisis has also been a cause of demonstrations held last weekend in France, which were accompanied by serious unrest and looting in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and other cities.
Macron's trip to the Persian Gulf countries faced domestic criticism due to its coincidence with the social crisis and violent incidents in France.
The Élysée Palace explained the new energy agreements as reflecting the 'trust' of the Persian Gulf countries in France as a 'reliable partner' in defending these states amid the conflict engulfing the region.
Nevertheless, Paris and the Persian Gulf monarchies remain concerned about the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the possibility of further conflict escalation.
According to Le Monde, the Gulf countries fear escalation after the US midterm elections on November 3, while French diplomacy warns of the risk that the region may remain in a state of 'neither peace nor war,' fueling instability.