Boris Johnson responds to French grumbling about failed submarine deal: “Donnez-moi un break” | Abroad

The United States, the United Kingdom and Australia announced last week that they would join the new AUKUS military security agreement. However, the news came as a thunderbolt out of the blue for France, which was on the verge of signing an agreement with Australia to supply submarines worth 56 billion euros. This deal failed, because AUKUS gives Australia access to technology for nuclear submarines.

France has accused US President Joe Biden of stabbing them in the back and behaving like his predecessor Donald Trump. Paris summoned the ambassadors of the United States and Australia.

Frustrated with French grumbling, Johnson pulled out his best Fringles – a mix of French and English – today: “I think it’s time for some of our best friends around the world.” “the control” about all this, ‘Give me a break’And she said today, a day after he met Joe Biden in Washington, because this is a major step forward fundamentally for global security. Literally translated the English sentences “Get a fist” (loosely translated: Re-pack yourself) and “Give me a break” (freely translated: Do me a favor) into French.

“(The Agreement, ed.) is not intended to eliminate anyone, it is not anti-Chinese, for example, it exists to strengthen relations and friendship between three countries,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s bold statements are likely to add fuel to the fire in Paris. According to two diplomatic sources, there are instructions to limit contacts with the UK for the time being. Global Britain seems to aim to put Britain on the world map while marginalizing Europe at the same time. “We can’t accept that,” said a diplomatic source, referring to the slogan Johnson used to describe Britain’s post-Brexit ambitions.

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone with his US counterpart Joe Biden today about the submarine conflict. The duo agreed that they would hold “in-depth consultations”, “aiming at defining conditions for building confidence and proposing concrete measures to achieve common goals.” A joint statement said the two leaders would meet at the end of October in Europe in October “to reach a common understanding.” She added that Macron will also send the French ambassador to Washington next week “to start working intensively with senior US officials.”

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