Saudi Crown Prince, French President Hold Extensive Talks in Riyadh

In this photo provided by the Saudi Royal Palace, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, meets with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (Saudi Royal Palace via AP)
In this photo provided by the Saudi Royal Palace, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, meets with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (Saudi Royal Palace via AP)
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Saudi Crown Prince, French President Hold Extensive Talks in Riyadh

In this photo provided by the Saudi Royal Palace, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, meets with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (Saudi Royal Palace via AP)
In this photo provided by the Saudi Royal Palace, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, meets with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (Saudi Royal Palace via AP)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received in Riyadh on Monday French President Emmanuel Macron.

They held extensive bilateral talks, tackling relations between the Kingdom and France, along with efforts to bolster cooperation in various fields.

They discussed opportunities to invest in available resources in both countries to achieve mutual interests. They reviewed regional and international developments and issues of common concern.

Following the meeting, Crown Prince Mohammed and Macron witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the formation of the Strategic Partnership Council between the governments of Saudi Arabia and France.

In this photo provided by the Saudi Royal Palace, French President Emmanuel Macron is welcomed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, right, at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (Saudi Royal Palace via AP)

The MoU was signed by Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot.

Macron had arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday on a three-day visit. He will attend the One Water Summit on Tuesday on the sidelines of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16) in Riyadh.

Organized by France, Kazakhstan, and the World Bank in partnership with Saudi Arabia, the Summit aims to accelerate action on SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) and incubate innovative solutions in preparation for the next UN Water Conference in 2026.



Trump Says he Would Probably Meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump speaks as Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump speaks as Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)
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Trump Says he Would Probably Meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump speaks as Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump speaks as Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)

US President Donald has said that he would “probably” meet in person with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the near term, suggesting that could happen in Saudi Arabia.

Trump said on Wednesday that he and Putin had agreed to begin negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine.

Trump said he spent more than an hour on the phone with Putin and “I think we’re on the way to getting peace." He noted that he later spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, but he was noncommittal about whether Ukraine would be an equal participant in US negotiations with Russia.
“I think President Putin wants peace and President Zelenskiy wants peace and I want peace," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I just want to see people stop being killed.”

Of his conversation with Putin, Trump said, “People didn’t really know what President Putin’s thoughts were. But I think I can say with great confidence, he wants to see it ended also, so that’s good — and we’re going to work toward getting it ended and as fast as possible.”

In a post on his social media platform, he said Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, national security adviser Michael Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff would lead negotiations on ending the war.

Zelenskiy's office said the conversation with Trump lasted for about an hour.
"I had a meaningful conversation with @POTUS. We... talked about opportunities to achieve peace, discussed our readiness to work together ...and Ukraine's technological capabilities... including drones and other advanced industries," Zelenskiy wrote on X.
No Ukraine peace talks have been held since the early months of the conflict, now approaching its third anniversary.