France To Send Its Ambassador Back To The U.S. Following A Macron-Biden Call

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In this Friday, June 11, 2021 file photo, from left, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, U.S. President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen walk together during the G7 Summit, in Carbis Bay, Cornwall, England.

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World
Why A Submarine Deal Has France At Odds With The U.S., U.K. And Australia

«The two leaders have decided to open a process of in-depth consultations, aimed at creating the conditions for ensuring confidence and proposing concrete measures toward common objectives,» they said.

It was their first conversation since Biden last week announced that the United States would work with Australia and the United Kingdom in the new defense partnership – an arrangement that includes the United States sharing its nuclear-powered submarine technology with Australia. The new security coalition is called AUKUS — an acronym of the three countries’ abbreviations.

Europe
France Recalls Ambassadors To The U.S. And Australia Over Snubbed Sub Deal

The deal resulted in Australia canceling a contract with France for conventional submarines. Furious about the arrangement, France took the highly unusual step of recalling its ambassadors from Washington and Canberra. Philippe Etienne, the French ambassador to the United States, told NPR that Biden’s decision was «a breach of trust.»

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson — the other key player in this global drama — advised France to «prenez un grip,» or get a grip, on the matter, which he hailed as «a great step forward for global security.»

Boris Johnson, speaking outside the Capitol, says it’s time for the French to “prenez un grip” and “donnez-moi un break” after the spat over a U.K. submarine deal with the U.S. and Australia pic.twitter.com/FpVywohTjK

— Kitty Donaldson (@kitty_donaldson) September 22, 2021