France stated on Thursday that Australia dealt it a "stab in the back," and that Biden made a "surprising decision" in the style of "Trump," following the announcement of a strategic alliance between Washington, Canberra, and London that led to the cancellation of Australia's contract to purchase French submarines. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio, "It is truly a stab in the back. We established a relationship based on trust with Australia. This trust has been betrayed." He added that "this unilateral, sudden, and unexpected decision resembles a lot of what Trump used to do."
French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly considered that Australia's cancellation of a massive contract for traditional submarines from France is a "serious" matter and represents "very bad news for respect for commitments." Parly mentioned in a radio interview that "it is a serious matter geopolitically and in terms of international relations." She added that she is "aware of the way the United States deals with its allies," after Washington announced it formed an alliance with Canberra and Britain and reached an agreement to deliver nuclear-powered submarines to Australia.
