France to send air defenses to Saudi Arabia to protect oil terminal

France will send troops and air defense systems to Saudi Arabia to protect the port city of Yanbu, French President Emmanuel Macron has said. He stressed that France does not intend to engage in hostilities, and the task of the French military will be to protect energy facilities.

Yanbu is the main Saudi terminal on the Red Sea for oil exports bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. The city has recently been attacked by Yemeni Houthis. Because of the strikes, the Saudi state oil company Saudi Aramco suspended supplies to European refineries.

Macron announced the plans to TF1 and France 2. Much of the president’s conversation with the media focused on the energy crisis – the issue of possible fuel shortages due to the situation around the Strait of Hormuz has become one of the main topics in France. Emmanuel Macron said that the authorities are doing everything necessary to avoid interruptions in the supply of diesel, gas and aviation fuel. According to him, by the end of the year, the country should have the necessary volumes of fuel even in case of further deterioration of the supply situation.

The president attributed the price increase primarily to the international situation and said that France is trying to influence the causes of the crisis through diplomatic means. Paris is engaged in efforts to resume traffic through the Strait of Hormuz while seeking alternative sources of supply. In the coming weeks, France will bring energy security to the G7.

Alexey Tarkhanov, Paris