French President Emmanuel Macron revealed in a live interview on Thursday that France will deploy military resources to protect Saudi Arabia's Red Sea oil route. The decision comes amid rising crude oil prices due to missile attacks on the main alternative route for Saudi oil exports through Yanbu, carried out by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis. Macron emphasized that the deployment aims to protect the site without getting involved in any conflicts.
Macron's announcement was made during a wide-ranging primetime interview on the international situation. He sought to assure the French that the country has adequate gas and oil supplies as winter approaches. The French government is actively working to ensure that flows are not disrupted. Macron also commented on a potential 90-day US ban on diesel exports, which he described as "catastrophic" for both the global and US economies.
The situation in Yemen has escalated, with the Houthis taking control of a vital strait for global shipping. Meanwhile, Macron denied a report in the Spanish newspaper El Mundo that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had warned European governments about potential drone attacks from the Mediterranean. He stated that the CIA did not inform French services about such threats.
Macron did, however, highlight the growing threat from Russia, which he said is multiplying hostile and criminal acts against European countries. He noted that France could face similar strikes to the failed attack in Leipzig airport in August, which Germany has blamed on Russia. Macron gathered French party chiefs at the Elysee last week to brief them on the growing threat from Russia.
In response to the growing Russian threat, Macron ordered his government to draw up a plan to protect critical infrastructure against drone and cyber attacks. He accused Moscow of seeking to intimidate Europe and break the continent's resolve in supporting Ukraine. France's interior minister later stated that the hybrid warfare threat being waged by Russia is "real and documented".
Russia has denied European allegations of hybrid attacks, calling them baseless and the result of anti-Russian hysteria. Macron's position on Russia was weakened this week after France persuaded EU members to exempt Russian-Uzbek metals tycoon Alisher Usmanov from EU sanctions, citing national security concerns. This move prompted Azerbaijan to pardon a French national jailed for espionage.
The French government's decision to deploy military resources to protect Saudi Arabia's Red Sea oil route reflects the country's commitment to ensuring global energy security. The move is also seen as a demonstration of France's solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its efforts to counter potential threats from Yemen's Houthis and Russia. Key developments in the region will likely continue to impact global oil prices and international relations.
Key points
- France will deploy military resources, including soldiers, radar systems, and defense systems, to protect Saudi Arabia's Red Sea oil route.
- President Macron denied a report that the CIA had warned European governments about potential drone attacks from the Mediterranean.
- Macron accused Russia of multiplying hostile and criminal acts against European countries and seeking to intimidate Europe.
