Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the situation in Gaza and the Russia-Ukraine war among a range of issues, both sides announced on Thursday.
The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that both leaders touched on Israel’s renewed assault on Gaza “and the efforts exerted in order to stop these attacks and protect civilians.”
Macron for his part said on X that he and MBS condemned “the resumption of Israeli strikes on Gaza.”
I just spoke with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
I welcomed his Jeddah initiative, which enabled the start of peace negotiations in Ukraine.
Regarding the Middle East, we condemn the resumption of Israeli strikes on Gaza.…— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 19, 2025
“I welcomed the work carried out by Saudi Arabia with its Arab partners on a credible framework for the day after in Gaza, which must serve as the basis for discussions. We will work together to reopen a much-needed political horizon,” the French president said in his post.
He said that the conference on the two-state solution, which will be cochaired between Marcon and MBS in June, “must help revive a political perspective for both Israelis and Palestinians.”
Israel this week resumed deadly strikes on the Gaza Strip. This shattered nearly two months of relative calm since a ceasefire went into effect between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza.
MBS and Macron also discussed the Russia-Ukraine war, SPA said, with the French president praising the Kingdom’s efforts in hosting negotiations aimed at reaching a peace deal.
“I welcomed [the Crown Prince’s] Jeddah initiative, which enabled the start of peace negotiations in Ukraine,” he said in his X post.
Macron also said that the situations in both Lebanon and Syria were among the matters tackled during the call.
“In Syria and Lebanon, France and Saudi Arabia share the same objectives: a fully sovereign Lebanon and a united, stable Syria engaged in an inclusive transition.”
