PARIS — Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman will hold wide ranging talks with French President Emmanuel Macron during their official meeting at the Elysee Palace on Friday. The Crown Prince kicked off on Wednesday an official trip to France during which he will also attend the global financial summit, and Saudi Arabia's official reception to promote Expo 2030 bid in the busy Saudi week in Paris. An official statement from the Elysée Palace said on Wednesday that Macron will receive the Crown Prince for talks in Paris. The statement said that Macron and the Crown Prince will discuss the affairs of the Middle East and international issues. Their talks will also focus on resolving the crisis in Ukraine. It is noteworthy that Prince Mohammed bin Salman recently expressed his willingness to mediate the crisis between Russia and Ukraine. The Crown Prince will lead the Kingdom's delegation participating in the financial summit titled "For a New Global Financial Pact", which is scheduled to be held in Paris on June 22-23. According to French officials, the summit aims to address climate change and draw up a new global financial pact. The participation of the Crown Prince in the summit represents a tangible Saudi effort to address the problems arising from the defects of the financial system that emerged in the aftermath of World War II. The Crown Prince will also attend an official reception hosted by the Kingdom to present its candidacy to host Expo 2030. The reception is scheduled to be held in Paris on June 19. France is participating in the Al-Ula Development project, which Prince Mohammed bin Salman aspires to turn into a global destination. This is the second visit by the Crown Prince to France since his previous visit in July 2022. Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Macron had met in November on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in the Thai capital, Bangkok. According to analysts, the visit gained significance in the context of the Crown Prince's efforts to strengthen Saudi partnerships with new partners, along with the Kingdom's old historical alliances with major powers.
