In an attempt to repair US relationship with France since the country declared a “crisis of trust” over the AUKUS, President Joe Biden admitted to his French counterpart, President Emmanuel Macron, that US was ‘clumsy’ in submarine dealings, but no apology followed, The Guardian reports.
Biden tried to explain that submarine deal that set off a bitter diplomatic feud with France, which he called “extremely valued partner the US has same value system with,” noting it was not done with a lot of grace but also stressing that he had been under the impression that France had been informed long before about the deal.
After the meeting, the two leaders issued an unusually long joint statement, highlighting areas of agreement, underscoring that the United States intends to increase its support and material contributions to France and other European nations increased air and maritime deployments in the region.
Pointing that they’ve ‘clarified together’ what they had to clarify, Macron signaled that France’s relationship with the US may be on the road to recovery, but he now wants Biden to show concrete commitment to the US-France relationship, including more support for France’s counterterrorism operations in Sahel.
The French president seemed especially intent on using the meeting to portray France and the US as primary partners on a long list of security and other policy issues such as the climate change, the digital sector, health ect.
Macron’s remarks in light of the reason both presidents are in Rome for – the G20 which begins Saturday in the Italian capital where Biden will face a more skeptical global audience than his first day of presidential glad-handing with world leaders.
Considering the divisions within his own political party and the lack of done deal on the climate change measures, Biden himself has acknowledged the credibility of the US but also faces the questions from some nations about his commitment to working cooperatively on global issues.
Biden’s agenda on Saturday also includes meeting with Macron, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss Iran’s issue and a path toward returning to the JCPOA, that’s aimed at reining in Iran’s nuclear program, the US was withdrawn from in 2018 by the former President Donald Trump.
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