French President Emmanuel Macron reviewed the Emirati National Guard, his stride stiff, his face closed and grave, alongside the president of the United Arab Emirates federation, Mohamed bin Zayed, who welcomed him on Monday, October 19, in the honor hall of Abu Dhabi Airport before the two men withdrew to the presidential palace.

The president, who is being watched closely by international observers after a weekend of violent unrest in France, left Paris on Sunday evening, shortly after expressing his "anger" and "shame" over the destruction in a televised address, and headed for the shores of the Persian Gulf. There, he planned to pass from palace to palace, behind closed doors, from Kuwait to the Emirates on Monday, then on to Bahrain and Qatar, through Wednesday.

The trip resembles a regional farewell tour, six months ahead of the presidential election, yet Macron insisted on tying it to current events, assuring on Sunday, October 18, that he was flying out to "secure our energy supplies" from France's allies. He reminded the public that rising fuel prices "originate" in the Middle East, in the war launched by the US and Israel, which, in February, unsuccessfully sought to topple the Iranian regime. "It is a conflict in which France did not take part, and for which we are suffering the consequences," the head of state recalled, as the chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz and its oil traffic loomed over Europe ahead of winter. You have 66.69% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.