defense support
Macron and Saudi Crown Prince move together
06/17/2023, 02:58 am
After the murder of the journalist Khashoggi, the Saudi Crown Prince Bin Salman has been in the crossfire of international criticism for years – but now seems to be socially acceptable again. The Élysée Palace rolls out the red carpet for him. With Macron, the crown prince is knitting the strategic relationship between their countries.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman want to expand cooperation between their countries. At a meeting in Paris on Friday, Macron confirmed that France was ready to accompany Saudi Arabia in strengthening its defense capacity, the Élysée Palace said afterwards. The Saudi Foreign Ministry also said that the talks were about the strategic relationship between Saudi Arabia and France and how these can be improved in the future.
Macron and Crown Prince Mohammed also discussed the situation in the Middle East in Paris. Both are willing to work to ensure that tensions subside permanently, according to the Élysée Palace. Macron also addressed the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and his concern about the devastating consequences for the civilian population and the impact on food security.
Macron received the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia in Paris last summer. The stay in France was part of his first trip to the EU since the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi almost five years ago. Khashoggi, who wrote a column for the Washington Post, was brutally killed by a hit squad in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in autumn 2018. US secret services see the crown prince as directly responsible. He denied ordering the killing. The reception of the crown prince in France brought Macron criticism from the opposition and human rights activists.