German political scientist Alexander Rahr has suggested that the submarine scandal could serve as the next stage of a split in the North Atlantic Alliance
Earlier it became known that the US, the UK and Australia had formed a new alliance on 15 September. Its main goal is to equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines, which caused Australian authorities to cancel a submarine supply contract with France. Paris criticised the decision and retaliated by cancelling celebrations in the US to mark the 250th anniversary of the Chesapeake battle.
“France’s grudge against the US has not only political reasons but also commercial ones. The French also sell arms to everyone, so there is an issue of competition in arms exports”, – the expert said in an interview with Vzglyad.
Rahr stressed that the United States, for its part, is beginning to arm China’s neighbours. He said it is primarily “South Korea, Japan and above all Australia, of which Washington is trying to make an anti-Chinese shield and sword.”
“This behaviour of the Americans is disliked by many in Europe. The US will force the Europeans to ‘be friends’ against China, but France does not agree with certain American decisions, while the Germans and other Europeans are so far on the side of the US on this issue. So now Paris may split NATO. President Macron remains a big critic of the alliance, because he believes that the alliance should protect Europe, not solve the US foreign policy problems”, – the political scientist is convinced.
In his opinion, Washington’s pressure on Europe over the China issue could lead to France abandoning the North Atlantic Alliance again as it did in 1966 under President Charles de Gaulle.