What is the heated debate about?
About a lot of money and hurt pride. President Emmanuel Macron has angered the United States and Australia over the signing of an agreement to supply US nuclear submarines to the government in Canberra. In doing so, they tore up a 2016 agreement with France to supply twelve (diesel) submarines worth 34 34 billion. Macron accused Australia of violating the agreement and the United States of unfair competition. Moreover, Paris learned too late about the deal and was unaware of the strategic alliance that the United States, Australia and Great Britain had formed under the name Aukus. In response, France recalled its ambassadors to the United States and Australia. This is the first time in a relationship between traditional allies. Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian talks about ‘lies’ and ‘a serious breach of trust’, which also has implications for ‘relations within NATO’. Great Britain also kicks. According to Le Drian, it is still a crime of ‘opportunism’, but there is no need to recall the ambassador from London because ‘Britain is only the third wheel in the wagon’.