- WIADOMOŚCI
France will send troops to Saudi Arabia. Does this mean the US will help Ukraine?
France will send soldiers, radars and defence systems to Saudi Arabia to protect energy facilities in Yanbu on the Red Sea from further Houthi attacks. Emmanuel Macron stressed that French forces are not being sent there to conduct offensive operations or to become directly involved in the conflict. Their task will be to protect energy infrastructure and intercept incoming threats.
For France, this is not a sudden appearance in the Middle East. Paris is already there. Around 1,500 French military personnel are stationed in Djibouti, providing permanent ground, air and support capabilities.
France also maintains around 750 personnel in the United Arab Emirates, together with land, naval and air infrastructure. Paris therefore already has personnel, aircraft, ships, logistics and bases in the region that allow it to expand its presence relatively quickly.
Yanbu is particularly important because it allows Saudi Arabia to export oil through the Red Sea and partially bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Houthi attacks therefore affect not only Riyadh but also energy supplies and the wider market. In this case, France is protecting a partner, an important export route and its own economic interests at the same time.
At this stage, the French mission is defensive. I would not exclude, however, a more offensive French role if the situation continues to escalate. Paris already has forces and capabilities in the region, so moving from protecting specific facilities towards broader military involvement is possible if Houthi attacks continue.
There is also the wider context of Donald Trump’s meeting with Emmanuel Macron in New York. They discussed both Ukraine and the Middle East, while France is now taking on greater responsibility in a region that remains important to the United States.
Macron, in turn, expects greater US engagement in support of Ukraine. Ukraine may therefore gain greater room for more offensive action. In practice, it could become very clear that France helps the United States in the Middle East, while the United States helps Ukraine.
