Biden and Macron celebrate their first meeting on Friday after the “submarine crisis”

Posted:

October 29, 2021 11:05 GMT

The presidents are expected to touch upon new forms of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, the situation in China, the scenario in Afghanistan, and the Iranian nuclear program.

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, are planning a meeting on Friday that could become one of the key moments in the relations between the two countries since the beginning of the ‘Middle East crisis’. submarines reach AP. The meeting will take place on the eve of the G20 Summit to be held on October 30-31 in Rome (Italy).

The meeting between Biden and Macron will be First personal meeting Both leaders after strong tensions, unleashed by the creation of the new tripartite alliance AUKUS.

The presidents are expected to touch upon new forms of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, the situation in China, the scenario in Afghanistan, and the Iranian nuclear program.

According to US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Washington “feels good about intense reaction“He has maintained it with Paris over the past few weeks. He also indicated that Biden and Macron are expected to release joint announcement which will deal with areas of mutual cooperation.

On his part, the French President said: ad That the meeting aims “Resume cooperation” Between the two countries. It also hopes to address issues of strengthening Europe’s military capabilities.

Mortgage interest?

But according to some experts, the meeting responds more to France’s interests because relations between Paris and Washington can be fundamental to the position of the European country in the international arena.

“I can tell you that [el encuentro] he is very Expected by the French side. I wonder if this was also expected by the other party,” confirmed To CNN Celia Beilin, Visiting Professor at the Brookings Institution Center in the United States and Europe.

“One is a superpower. The other is this powerful middle power. But you have an imbalance. And for France, having a good relationship or a clear relationship with the United States is also A requirement, for example, to influence in EuropeBeilin added.

For his part, the intelligence analyst and national security risks Fernando Cucho believes that the United States will try “Don’t lose a traditional ally”. It also suggests that the North American country may have to explain to France or somehow compensate for the “submarine crisis” in order for one or more of Washington’s allies to preserve American interests on the European continent.

• The Trilateral Cooperation between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia envisions the United States assisting Australia with the technologies needed to equip itself with nuclear-powered submarines, thus suspending the ocean nation’s contract with France. The European country has repeatedly called this fact “treason.”
• Under the expired contract between France and Australia, estimated at 66 thousand million dollars, it was planned to build a fleet of 12 conventional submarines.
• The creation of the alliance prompted Paris to immediately contact the French ambassadors to the United States and Australia for consultation, though she later withdrew her decision.