France and the United States compromise after a phone call between Presidents Macron and Biden

The dispute between the United States and France was settled after a phone call between Presidents Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron. Biden admitted that the United States made a mistake in signing the AUKUS agreement with Australia and the United Kingdom. While he stays behind the deal, he admits that the United States has not been transparent enough. After all, France was informed only an hour before the announcement of the new alliance.

The two presidents agreed to meet in Europe at the end of October. In anticipation, Foreign Ministers Anthony Blinken and Jean-Yves Le Drian will meet in New York today for a meeting.

What is the AUKUS Security Charter?

Relations between France and the United States turned cold after the United States announced a strategic partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom. The agreement stipulates that the three countries will exchange information and technology with each other. The United States will also share its nuclear technology to operate submarines with Australia.

That’s what France falls for, because the deal would give Australia eight advanced American submarines, and a major purchase of French submarines by Australia was cancelled. It was a contract worth 30 billion euros.

In response, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke of a “knife in the back”. This unilateral, sudden and unexpected decision is very reminiscent of the Trump way. But without the tweets. France immediately withdrew its ambassadors to the United States and Australia.

What now?

The fact that the French ambassador will return to Washington next week does not mean that everything has been settled. The position of the French ambassador to Australia will remain unmanned for the time being.

French President Macron rejected a call from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison earlier this week. Morrison told reporters in Washington. “It is not yet time for this. We will be patient,” Morrison was quoted as saying by Australian media.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson used less subtle words toward Macron on Wednesday. Frustrated at the French innuendo, Johnson responded with a mixture of French and English. “I think it’s time for some of our best friends around the world to ‘prenez un grip’ about all this, ‘donnez-moi un break,’ because this is basically a huge step forward for global security.”

Australia can also expect a bill as it abandons a planned purchase of submarines in France. French defense conglomerate Naval Group has announced that a “detailed” cost statement will be sent to Australians within weeks.

Naval Group CEO Pierre-Eric Baumelier told the newspaper Le Figaro The costs incurred are recovered from the Australians. He concludes that his company is clearly not at fault now that the Australians have suddenly decided to back out of the billion-dollar deal. He said the contract includes provisions on how to handle such a situation.