France’s Élysée Palace will host Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday and Monday, with the two-day official visit anchored by the inaugural session of the Saudi-French Strategic Partnership Council, a body established following Macron’s state visit to Saudi Arabia in December 2024.
The council’s first meeting, scheduled Sunday evening at the Grand Palais near the Champs-Élysées, represents the institutional centerpiece of a relationship that has been formalized through a strategic partnership agreement and a memorandum covering political, economic, cultural, artistic and sports cooperation. Monday’s agenda at the Élysée includes bilateral talks, a joint chairmanship of the council by both leaders, and the expected signing of multiple agreements, followed by a Saudi-French business forum and an official dinner.
This is the crown prince’s third visit to Paris, following trips in July 2022 and June 2023. The Saudi Royal Court confirmed the visit was made at the direction of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and in response to Macron’s invitation. The Élysée characterized it as evidence of “the vitality of the dialogue between France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
The strategic agenda is dense. French presidential sources indicated that the visit occurs amid “a regional crisis that erupted several months ago and whose outcome no one can foresee,” describing the crown prince’s decision to travel to France as an “important signal.” The Strait of Hormuz closure and its repercussions will receive particular attention, with discussions expected to address efforts to diversify energy supply routes and strengthen Middle East-Europe connections.
Lebanon will occupy a prominent place on the agenda. France has organized what sources described as a “preparatory and technical” meeting involving the chiefs of staff of 15 countries, with United States participation anticipated. Paris has emphasized its close coordination with Riyadh on Lebanese sovereignty and support for the country’s authorities. Élysée sources also referenced projects pursued away from public attention, with indications pointing to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mandate expiry, on which France and Italy are developing a formula to prevent a governance vacuum.
Syria will also feature in the discussions. Paris indicated it is working with Riyadh on the issue, noting that Macron recently completed an official visit to Syria. When asked about the defense agreement signed in Makkah on August 8 between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye, Élysée sources characterized it as “an illustration of the new regional architecture” and expressed the importance of hearing “the Saudi view” of the development.
Bertrand Besancenot, a former French ambassador to Saudi Arabia, identified three contexts for understanding the visit. The first concerns the evolving regional situation, as Gulf leaders assess the optimal path forward while recognizing the central role of the United States but also exploring additional ways to safeguard security and interests. The second involves Europe’s regional presence: European countries maintain political, economic and strategic interests in the Middle East, and coordination with Riyadh can reinforce their role, particularly for France as a leading European actor in the region. The third encompasses the broad strategic partnership itself and the economic, cultural, educational and sports projects the two countries have launched together.
Besancenot expects the tripartite Saudi-Pakistani-Turkish security agreement to feature prominently in the Élysée talks. He also anticipates discussion of the Palestinian file in Gaza and the West Bank. France and Saudi Arabia launched an initiative last year to revive the two-state solution, which secured broad United Nations support and prompted major countries, led by France and Britain, to recognize Palestinian statehood.
Maritime security represents another likely discussion point. Saudi Arabia convened a conference attended by 43 delegations that produced a maritime defense coalition to safeguard the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb and the Gulf of Aden, with 14 countries committing to participate. On August 14, Saudi Arabia formally announced the establishment of the Red Sea Maritime Defense Coalition. A key institutional question now concerns whether coordination can be established between the European Union’s Aspides naval mission in the Red Sea, launched in February 2024, and the Saudi-led coalition, given that both pursue the same objective.
On the margins of the strategic talks, Sunday evening will also see both leaders attend the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup, being hosted in France for the first time at Saudi Arabia’s request. The event concludes seven weeks of competition involving 2,000 players from 100 countries and 200 clubs, with total prize money reaching $75 million. Whether the institutional momentum generated by Monday’s agreement signings translates into concrete coordination mechanisms, particularly on maritime security and Lebanon, remains the open question as the two governments move from partnership declarations to operational commitments.