Biden and Macron met for the first time since the diplomatic tension that erupted in September. This was due to Australia terminating a contract to purchase French submarines in the wake of the British-American-Australian Defense and Security Partnership (AUKUS) and instead agreeing to purchase nuclear-powered but conventionally armed submarines with the United States.
According to the Spanish news agency EFE, the two presidents appeared at the pre-meeting press conference with a smile and were in a friendly mood. “We want to strengthen the strategic alliance between the European Union and NATO,” Macron said, who also expressed his intention to work together to ensure security in the Indo-Pacific region, a region from which France felt the submarine was “displaced”. crisis.” He stressed that Paris and Washington are working to restore confidence, and this includes strengthening cooperation.
Biden described France as “the oldest, most loyal, and extremely valuable ally of the United States,” while acknowledging that the United States had treated the nuclear-powered submarine purchase agreement in an “inappropriate” manner. “I thought France had been informed much earlier that the agreement would not be implemented,” Biden said. Asked if contacts had been restored, Macron replied: “Together we have made clear what we need to clarify.”
The meeting between the French and US presidents may have started more than an hour late, as Pope Francis greeted Bident during the day and their meeting lasted much longer than planned.
The two-day summit of the 19 largest advanced and emerging economies and the European Union begins in Rome on Saturday.
Cover Photo: Getty Images
