EU denounces ‘lack of loyalty’ by US over submarine row

EU chief Charles Michel accused the United States of a lack of loyalty after Australia cancelled a mega-contract with France to buy US nuclear submarines.

“The elementary principles for allies are transparency and trust, and it goes together. And what do we observe? We are observing a clear lack of transparency and loyalty,” the European Council chief told reporters at the United Nations.

Michel said that he found it difficult to understand the move by Australia, the UK and the US. “Why? Because with the new Joe Biden administration, America is back. This was the historic message sent by this new administration and now we have questions. What does it mean – America is back? Is America back in America or somewhere else? We don’t know,” he told reporters in New York.

Speaking after the closed-door meeting on the sidelines of the assembly, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said “more cooperation, more coordination, less fragmentation” was needed to achieve a stable and peaceful Indo-pacific region where China is the major rising power.

The bloc’s foreign ministers “expressed clear solidarity with France,” Borrell said.

“This announcement ran

counter to calls for greater cooperation with the European Union in the Indo-pacific,” he said.

French Foreign Minister Jeanyves Le Drian earlier on Monday accused the US of betrayal and Australia of back-stabbing.