France aims to organize UN conference on Palestinian state 'as quickly as possible'

ISTANBUL

French President Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to organize the recently postponed UN conference on Palestinian statehood "as quickly as possible."

"My aim is to move as quickly as possible. But, as you know, we are coordinating with Saudi Arabia, and in the coming days I will meet with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia to discuss a possible date and the organization of the summit. I hope it can happen as soon as possible," Macron told a news conference in Brussels after an EU summit late Thursday when asked about the future date of the conference.

Focusing on peaceful resolution of the Palestinian issue and implementation of a two-state solution, the conference was initially scheduled for June, but got postponed after military tensions between Iran and Israel.

"We are calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the resumption of humanitarian aid, because this is the most dramatic situation from both a humanitarian and political standpoint, and it is the most urgent crisis in the region," Macron said.

He called for respecting the Israel-Iran ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump, resumption of discussions, and oversight of both ballistic and nuclear activities in Iran.

Macron said allowing Iran to withdraw from the Non-Proliferation Treaty would be the "worst outcome," adding: "That would lead to dangerous drift and collective weakening."

"Our responsibility is to uphold the Non-Proliferation Treaty, ensure Iran does not exit it, and allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to resume its work in Iran as soon as possible," he said.

Macron also commented on the trade negotiations with US maintaining a 10% tariff on most EU goods, on top of higher sector-specific rates (25% on cars and 50% on steel/aluminum), implemented since April 2025.

"I want to say here that we support the [European] Commission’s efforts toward a balanced and negotiated solution. France is in favor of reaching an agreement quickly. We are not in favor of dragging this out indefinitely," he said.

Calling for a "pragmatic" and "balanced" agreement highlighting the positives on both sides, Macron said the bloc will not accept a "long-term situation" in which they are "taxed while making no changes" to their own position.

"If, in the end, the Americans choose to maintain 10% tariffs on our economy, there will inevitably be a reciprocal measure imposed on American goods and products sold on the European market. The levy applied to our industries will result in an equivalent levy applied to theirs. Otherwise, we would be naive—or weak—or both," he said.