Macron counts on Egypt and Saudi Arabia to supply natural gas to France

French President Emmanuel Macron said his country will cooperate with Egypt and Saudi Arabia to secure natural gas supplies for France amid the approaching winter.

He added in a speech on Friday that Paris has held talks with multiple parties to secure natural gas supplies and facilitate their delivery to France, in preparation for winter and ensuring affordable fuel prices in the coming months.

Macron spoke of France’s efforts to engage with energy-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar, and Nigeria, extending across the Eastern Mediterranean, to ensure supply flows in both the short and long term.

He noted that as chair of the Group of Seven, France will launch several initiatives and call for a meeting to coordinate energy storage policies, increase production capacity, and consider releasing strategic reserves.

He also highlighted the possibility of releasing strategic reserves in coordination with energy agencies, along with several exceptional measures at the European Union level to accelerate stock releases and reduce energy prices.