The key facts
- Saudi Arabia: 95,000 tonnes of diesel in October and the same in November; UAE and Bahrain — another 100,000 tonnes for an unspecified period
- Deliveries via TotalEnergies; European diesel is trading at nearly $200 per barrel versus about $80 in early 2026
- Agreements signed with the UAE on AI (AMI Labs, MBZUAI, G42, Analog) and energy (Adnoc, Schneider Electric, Technip Energies)
Diesel supplies from Gulf countries
The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain will sell France a volume of diesel equivalent to 10% of its usual consumption in the coming weeks, French government sources said. The goal is to lower European energy prices, which have triggered protests and public discontent in France and other countries. “The larger the volume, the lower the price. It’s quite simple,” said an adviser to Emmanuel Macron.
Details of the arrangements
Earlier, France received guarantees from Saudi Arabia to sell 95,000 tonnes of diesel in October and the same amount in November — 190,000 tonnes in total over two months. In addition, the UAE and Bahrain are expected to separately sell France another 100,000 tonnes of diesel in the coming weeks, for an unspecified period. Macron’s adviser described the arrangements as political commitments on the part of the countries of the region. A significant part of the deal was agreed by Macron during his tour of the Gulf, which began with visits to Kuwait and the UAE on Monday; on Tuesday he visited Bahrain and then headed to Qatar.
The role of TotalEnergies and the price context
The supplies will go through the French company TotalEnergies, whose chief executive Patrick Pouyanné is accompanying Macron on the trip. “Our task is above all to secure supplies, because there is a risk. We have a diesel deficit, as we are a major importer,” Pouyanné said, adding that Saudi Arabia’s commitment is to ensure supplies beyond November as well. According to the publication, European diesel is trading at nearly $200 per barrel amid the war in Iran and Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries, compared with about $80 in early 2026; refined products have risen in price more steeply than crude.
Political backdrop in France
The announcement became a political success for Macron, who is under pressure due to large-scale protests against the backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis. Some demonstrations escalated into riots; authorities imposed a curfew in central Paris and other parts of the country.
Agreements with the UAE on AI and energy
During the visit to the UAE, France and the emirate signed preliminary agreements in energy, artificial intelligence and advanced technologies in the presence of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed. Three AI agreements were concluded with the startup AMI Labs: with the artificial intelligence university MBZUAI — on cooperation in research and development, with G42 — on a strategic partnership in cloud infrastructure and AI models, and with the company Analog — on integrating AI models into robotics and physical AI. In energy, Adnoc Gas and Schneider Electric signed a preliminary pact to evaluate advanced technologies, while Adnoc Refining and Technip Energies signed two contracts for a project to expand refining capacity and a sustainable aviation fuel project. It is recalled that in February 2025 the UAE announced its intention to invest billions of euros in an AI campus and a data centre near Paris.
