President Joe Biden Admits US Handling Of French Submarine Deal Was "Clumsy"

President Joe Biden explained on Friday that the Biden administration’s handling of the Submarine deal with UK and Australia, which saw France lose out on a multi-billion-dollar deal was “clumsy”.

President Biden made the admission during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Rome.

The meeting acted as an olive branch to ease tensions between France, Australia and the US after Australia backed out on a submarine deal with France.

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Biden expressed that he was unaware of the situation between France and Australia at the time the deal was made.

"I was under the impression that France had been informed long before that the deal was not going through, honest to God," Biden said.

In September of this year, the UK, US and Australia entered into a partnership that would see Australia receive help to develop nuclear-powered submarines.

According to President Macron, he was unaware of the deal which effectively voided a contract which provided Australia with billions of dollars’ worth of diesel-fuelled French submarines.

The decision to cancel this contract caused major tensions between Franc, the US and Australia with France recalling their US Ambassador.

Biden admitted at the recent meeting in Rome that the situation was poorly handled.

"I think what happened -- to use an English phrase -- what we did was clumsy," he said.

"It was not done with a lot of grace. I was under the impression that certain things had happened that had not happened."

- President Joe Biden

Biden continued followed the admission saying France is “an extremely valued partner and a power in and of itself."

"There's too much we have done together, suffered together, celebrated together and value together for anything to be able to break this up. We're at one of those inflection points in world history. Things are changing. Pieces of the board are moving.”

When French President Macron was asked whether the relationship had been adequately repaired, his response was vague.

"We clarified together what we had to clarify,” he said.

"Now what's important is to be sure that such a situation will not be possible for our future,

"what really matters now is what we will do together in the coming weeks, the coming months, the coming years."

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