Former British ambassador to France Peter Ricketts warned that London could not escape punishment from Paris for breaking a submarine contract for Australia. He is quoted by the Daily Mail.
“France is recalling ambassadors in Washington and Canberra, but not in London. This indicates that Paris considers the United States and Australia to be the main organizers of the conspiracy, and Britain is only an accomplice,” the diplomat said.
According to him, this still will not help the United Kingdom to avoid further measures from the neighboring state. France will punish all three countries that have taken away a lucrative order for the construction of submarines for Australia, Ricketts said.
This week, US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the creation of a new AUKUS defense and security partnership. As part of this treaty, the United States will create nuclear submarines (NPS) for Canberra.
Against the backdrop of this event, Australia canceled a major contract worth 56 billion euros with the flagship of the French shipbuilding Naval Group for the production of 12 diesel-electric submarines of the Barracuda class. In response, Paris recalled ambassadors in Washington and Canberra for consultations, and canceled a joint celebration of the 240th anniversary of the Chesapeake naval battle with the United States. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called the breakdown of the deal with Australia “a stab in the back.”