U.S. President Joe Biden met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Rome on Friday in their first face-to-face encounter since the submarine crisis, acknowledging that Washington did not act "appropriately" regarding the submarine contract with Australia, which caused discontent in Paris. Biden stated, "What we did was not appropriate and lacked a great deal of civility," emphasizing that France is "a very important partner" to the U.S.
For his part, Macron praised the "concrete decisions" made after the Australian submarine crisis to restore "trust" between France and the United States. He highlighted "very concrete decisions that have come to support joint actions and initiatives we are undertaking in various areas, which I believe marks the beginning of a trust process." Macron made these remarks upon the leaders' arrival for their first direct meeting since the diplomatic crisis erupted last month.
France recalled its ambassadors from Washington and Canberra in mid-September after Australia reached an agreement with the United States and the United Kingdom (AUKUS), leading to the cancellation of a $40 billion deal to purchase French-designed submarines. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian described Australia's decision to cancel the $40 billion deal with French company Naval Group to build a fleet of conventional submarines as a "stab in the back."
The tensions in relations between Australia and France come at a time when the United States and its allies are seeking additional support in the Asia-Pacific region amid concerns over China's growing influence. U.S. officials are working to restore relations with France, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Paris earlier this month and held a bilateral meeting with Macron.
