(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times) Philippe Etienne, French Ambassador to the U.S. discusses the Future of Europe Jan. 22, 2020 at Center For Strategic & International Studies in Washington D.C. forum.
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
France’s President Macron said he felt “stabbed” in the back by the United States, the French Republic’s longtime ally, following Australia cancelling an order last week for Paris to supply it with 12 conventional diesel-powered submarines. Australia reneged on a submarine contract with France worth $66 billion , announcing it would instead join a security pact with the U.S. and the United Kingdom. France is furious after being left out of the new security pact between the US, the UK and Australia. President Macron swiftly recalled France’s Ambassador to the U.S. and Australia.
“At the request of the President of the Republic, I am recalling to Paris without delay our ambassadors to the United States and to Australia for consultations.This exceptional decision is justified by the exceptional gravity of the announcements made on 15th September by Australia and the United States. The cancellation of the Attack class submarine program binding Australia and France since 2016, and the announcement of a new partnership with the United States meant to launch studies on a possible future cooperation on nuclear-powered submarines, constitute unacceptable behavior between allies and partners, whose consequences directly affect the vision we have of our alliances, of our partnerships and of the importance of the Indo-Pacific for Europe.”
-France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian wrote in a statement September 17.
🇫🇷 and the 🇺🇸 have been friends since the US Revolution. How did such a breach of trust take place between the #OldestAllies, and where do we go from here? Listen to my take from #Paris on @MSNBC ➡️https://t.co/Na35cnjVeE pic.twitter.com/4w0n88mvDs
— Philippe Etienne (@Ph_Etienne) September 21, 2021
On @MorningEdition of @NPR, I spoke with @NPRinskeep to explain the causes of France's contention with the recent #AUKUS Indo-Pacific Alliance. Listen to the full interview ⤵️https://t.co/S5GsGqBgl5
— Philippe Etienne (@Ph_Etienne) September 21, 2021
Macron orders Philippe Etienne, French Ambassador to the U.S. to return to Washington
President Joe Biden spoke Wednesday with French President Emmanuel Macron following a messy arms deal last week that triggered a diplomatic row. https://t.co/Sb9pul32bN
— NBCWashington (@nbcwashington) September 22, 2021
Now, apparently, President Macron has had a change of heart and is dispatching Ambassador Etienne back to Washington after he and U.S. President Biden spoke by phone Wednesday September 22.
(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times) German Ambassador to the United States Emily Haber and Philippe Etienne, French Ambassador to the U.S. discusses the Future of Europe Jan. 22, 2020 at Center For Strategic & International Studies in Washington D.C. forum.
Philippe Etienne – Ambassador of France to the United States, previously held numerous posts within the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, notably including Ambassador of France to Romania (2002-2005), Director of the Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs (2007-2009), Permanent Representative of France to the European Union (2009-2014), Ambassador of France to Germany (2014-2017) and most recently, Diplomatic Adviser to the President (2017-2019). Etienne is an expert on the European Union and continental Europe. He has held posts in Moscow, Belgrade, Bucharest, Bonn, Berlin and Brussels. He has also served as an adviser in the Cabinet of the Minister of Foreign Affairs on several occasions. A graduate of the École Normale Supérieure and the Ecole Nationale d’Administration (“Voltaire” Class, 1980), He speaks English, German, Spanish, Russian and Romanian.
