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The French government has been seething since last week, when Australia scrapped a massive deal to buy conventional submarines from France. Instead, the US and UK have announced that they will help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines under a new security pact called AUKUS.
The move opened a new rift in the Western alliance and sparked growing public criticism from other European officials.
Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner for Internal Markets, said Monday in an interview with CNN that “something is broken between our relations in Europe and the United States”.
Breton warned that there was “growing sentiment” in Europe in recent weeks and that there had been a “lack of trust among the allies”.
“I am here again to make sure that we rebuild this partnership, although in some areas we may have to suspend and reset it,” he added.
France reacted with fury to the announcement of the new pact on Thursday and the fact that Australia was giving up its $ 65 billion deal to buy French-built, conventionally-powered submarines. Following the deal, France recalled its ambassadors in Washington and Canberra and called on the EU to reconsider Australia’s bid for a free trade deal with the bloc.
While Biden requested talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in an attempt to smooth relations, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday he would not speak with Macron at the UN this week.
“It’s not an opportunity for that right now. I’m sure that opportunity will come in time. But at the moment, I understand the disappointment,” said Morrison.
Macron will not be in New York for the UN General Assembly and will not send a pre-recorded speech, a spokesperson confirmed to CNN on Tuesday. It was originally planned to make a pre-recorded declaration.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Monday that Biden and Macron had agreed to speak “within the next few days.”
Announcing the deal last Wednesday, Biden said AUKUS would strengthen alliances and mark a major step towards fighting China. But the trilateral partnership has alienated key European allies and now the bloc is asking for answers on the treatment of France.
In an exclusive interview with CNN on Monday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said “a lot of questions” about the breaking of the Franco-Australian submarine deal had to be answered.
“One of our member states was treated in a way that is not acceptable, so we want to know what happened and why,” said von der Leyen, adding that the situation needs to be clarified. ” before continuing as if nothing had happened. “
Speaking from New York where she attends the UN General Assembly, von der Leyen went on to say that the EU will “step up” its defense.
“Many of our member states are members of NATO, and NATO is the most powerful military alliance in the world, but it is important to have a strong European pillar within NATO and to have as a the European Union the capacity to act independently in theaters where, for example, NATO is not, but the EU is called upon, “she told Amanpour.
Von der Leyen is one of a number of European officials to express their solidarity with France in recent days.
“European solidarity and support for France were very clear,” French Minister of State for European Affairs, Clément Beaune, said Tuesday among EU leaders, of the comments of the President of the European Commission, the President of the Council of the EU and the top management of the EU. representative for foreign affairs.
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