France accused Australia and the United States on Saturday of lying following Canberra's cancellation of a massive contract for submarines with Paris, stating that this represents a "serious crisis" among allies. French President Emmanuel Macron ordered the recall of his ambassadors in Canberra and Washington on Friday, a unprecedented move to express his anger over Australia's decision to cancel a huge deal to acquire nuclear-powered submarines from France and replace them with US submarines.
This dispute undermines hopes for a revival of relations between Paris and Washington under US President Joe Biden, especially as France focuses on bolstering the European Union's security strategy and contemplating a new strategic concept for NATO. In an interview via France 2, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian showed no signs of a French inclination towards easing the crisis, using clear non-diplomatic language towards Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Le Drian justified the recall of France's ambassadors in Canberra and Washington, attributing it to "a serious crisis between us." He noted that this unprecedented action in the history of Paris-Washington relations "is very symbolic. There has been lying, duplicity, a significant undermining of trust, and contempt, so things between us are not going well." The French minister added, "We recalled our ambassadors to try to understand and to show our long-time partner countries that we feel great discontent and that there is indeed a serious crisis between us."
Conversely, Le Drian did not assign significance to the possibility of recalling the ambassador in London, stating, "We know their perpetual opportunism," referring to the British a few months after Brexit, adding that Britain is not the primary party involved in this matter. France accused Australia on Thursday of "stabbing it in the back" and also accused Washington of continuing the behavior it exhibited during former President Donald Trump's administration after Canberra canceled the massive deal with Paris.
The French company Naval Group, partly state-owned, was chosen to provide 12 nuclear-powered submarines to Australia based on the French Barracuda submarine model under development. However, US President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday a new defense alliance with Australia and the UK to extend US nuclear submarine technology to Australia, alongside cyber defense, applied artificial intelligence, and underwater capabilities. Regarding London's role in the new agreement made under Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Le Drian stated that "the UK, in this whole affair, is somewhat like the third wheel."
Le Drian also indicated that the current crisis will impact the determination of the new NATO strategic concept, without mentioning any potential exit from the alliance. He said, "The alliance has begun to review its core principles at the request of the President. The upcoming NATO summit in Madrid will lead to a new strategic concept. Certainly, what has just happened will affect this determination." He added, "But at the same time, Europe must have its strategic compass, and that will be under France's responsibility in the first half of 2022," referring to the French presidency of the European Union starting from January 1.
He opined that after the hasty American withdrawal from Afghanistan, without consultation with allies, and the submarine deal, "If Europeans want to remain relevant in history, they must unite and defend their interests together; then their fate will be entirely different."
### "Military Cooperation"
A NATO official downplayed the severity of the dispute between France, the United States, and Australia over the submarine deal on Saturday, excluding any impact on "military cooperation" within the alliance. Admiral Rob Bauer, head of NATO's military committee, told reporters in Athens, "There may be repercussions or consequences arising from this agreement, but I do not expect it to currently affect cohesion within NATO." He added, "As far as I know, Australia is a partner but not a member of the NATO organization. There are many agreements between countries that can politically impact NATO."
Bauer continued after a conference of NATO military leaders, "But at this time, I don't see it affecting military cooperation within NATO." The new agreement, widely regarded as aimed at countering China's rise, angered France, which lost its 2016 contract with Australia worth about AUD 50 billion (USD 36.5 billion, EUR 31 billion). A White House official expressed "regret" over the recall of the French ambassador on Friday but said, "We will continue to work in the coming days to resolve our differences as we have done at other points during our long alliance."
