France recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia in response to a pact signed by the two countries, along with the United Kingdom, that the French called a “stab in the back.”
“At the request of President Macron, I have decided to immediately recall our ambassadors to the United States and Australia to Paris for consultations,” said Jean-Yves Le Drain, France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in a statement Friday.
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France has expressed disappointment following the announcement this week of a pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States that will provide nuclear submarines to Australia and scrap an earlier agreement to send French-made submarines to Australia.
“The abandonment of the ocean-class submarine project that Australia and France had been working on since 2016 and the announcement of a new partnership with the United States aimed at studying the possibility of future cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines constitute unacceptable behaviour among allies and partners; their consequences affect the very concept we have of our alliances, our partnerships, and the importance of the Indo-Pacific for Europe,” the statement read partly.
Earlier in the week, Le Drain told a French radio station that the pact, known as AUKUS and widely perceived as a challenge to China’s presence in the region, was a “stab in the back” and that France had been “betrayed.”
Le Drain also compared President Biden to former President Trump.
“This brutal, unilateral and unpredictable decision reminds me a lot of what Mr Trump used to do,” Le Drian said. “I am angry and bitter. This isn’t done between allies.”
Earlier this week, Le Drain told a French radio station that the AUKUS treaty, widely seen as a challenge to China’s presence in the region, was a “stab in the back” and that France had been “betrayed.”
Le Drain also made a comparison between President Biden and former President Trump.
“This brutal, unilateral, and erratic decision reminds me a lot of what Mr Trump used to do,” Le Drian said. “I’m enraged and bitter. This is not done among allies.”
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Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, denied that the move had created a “regional divide” and stated that France was informed of the agreement prior to its announcement.
According to a White House official, the Biden administration “regrets” France’s decision but “will continue to engage in the coming days to resolve our differences.”
