Saudi diversification of friendships opens new opportunities for France, says French diplomat

PARIS: Just a few years ago, the Franco-Saudi relationship appeared to move forward in fits and starts, overshadowed by the privileged ties Paris maintained with other Gulf capitals. Today, the landscape is radically different. President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Saudi Arabia in December 2024 cemented this evolution, giving a strategic dimension to a relationship that has continued to expand. But to understand this rapprochement, one must also look to Washington, says Bertrand Besancenot, France’s ambassador to Qatar and later to Saudi Arabia from 2007 to 2016.

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