Instead, Australia decided to strike a new deal with the US and UK: the AUKUS Security Agreement. As part of this deal, the country will receive a fleet of US nuclear-powered submarines.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian speaks of a “serious crisis” between allies. “There are lies, hypocrisy, a massive breach of trust and contempt,” the minister said. This cannot be between allies. Le Drian also described the UK as “opportunistic” for its involvement in the deal.

And President Emmanuel Macron decided, on Friday, to recall his ambassadors from the United States and Australia due to the crisis. According to Le Drian, this is a “highly symbolic” act aimed at illustrating the severity of the crisis. According to Le Drian, Macron and US President Joe Biden have not yet spoken to each other about the issue.

The leaders of the EU countries made it clear earlier that their agreement aims to ensure security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.