AUKUS

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, center, arrives to attend the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting during the APEC summit, Friday, Nov. 18, 2022, in Bangkok, Thailand. (Diego Azubel/Pool Photo via AP)

Australia sticks to US nuclear subs despite French criticism

Australia’s prime minister says he remains committed to building a fleet of submarines powered by U.S. nuclear technology despite the French president describing the plan as a “confrontation with China.”

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong speaks during a press conference after meeting with Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah during visit to Foreign Ministry in Putrajaya, Malaysia, Tuesday, June 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Australia FM stresses AUKUS will not create nuclear weapons

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley arrives for a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the fiscal year 2023 defense budget, Tuesday, April 5, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Australia, UK, US alliance to develop hypersonic missiles

Leaders of the G20 throw coins inside the Trevi Fountain during an event for the G20 summit in Rome, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021. The two-day Group of 20 summit concludes on Sunday, the first in-person gathering of leaders of the world's biggest economies since the COVID-19 pandemic started. (Roberto Monaldo/LaPresse via AP)

The Latest: Macron says Australia’s Morrison lied to him

In this photo released by Malaysia Defense Ministry, Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein speaks during the opening of the Five Power Defense Arrangements (FPDA) meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. Australia and Britain are defending their nuclear submarine deal with the U.S. amid concerns it could escalate tensions in the region and spark an arms race. (Malaysia Defense Ministry via AP)

Australia, UK defend AUKUS pact, say fears overhyped

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UK minister vows wide-ranging support for Australian subs

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The British international trade secretary on Friday promised wide-ranging support to Australia in developing and maintaining a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.

French, Australian leaders have 1st talk since sub fallout

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron told Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison during their first conversation since Australia pulled out of a multibillion-dollar submarine deal that it is up to Morrison’s government to repair the damaged relationship between their countries, France’s p

Front row left, to right, Slovenia's Prime Minister Janez Jansa, European Council President Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda pose with other EU leaders during a group photo at an EU summit, at the Brdo Castle in Kranj, Slovenia, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021. EU leaders are meeting Tuesday evening to discuss increasingly tense relations with China and the security implications of the chaotic U.S.-led exit from Afghanistan, before taking part in a summit with Balkans leaders on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

EU leaders discuss defense, US and China relationships

BRDO CASTLE, Slovenia (AP) — European Union leaders met for the first time Tuesday since the messy Western troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and France’s loss of a multibillion-dollar submarine deal with Australia, events that they argue have exposed Europe’s need for more autonomy on defense.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a member session at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Ministerial Council Meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Paris. (Ian Langsdon, Pool via AP)

US, France edge closer to rapprochement after AUKUS spat

France and the United States are edging closer toward rapprochement after the Biden administration’s exclusion of Washington’s oldest ally from a new Indo-Pacific security initiative ignited French anger.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken addresses the media after a roundtable with local labor leaders at the IBEW Local #5, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Rebecca Droke, Pool)

US tries to make nice with France after Australia sub snub

Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit France as the Biden administration tries to smooth over hurt feelings and other damage caused by excluding America’s oldest ally from a new Indo-Pacific security initiative.

FILE - In this June 14, 2021, file photo French President Emmanuel Macron, center, speaks with U.S. President Joe Biden, right, during a plenary session at a NATO summit in Brussels. Ties between the United States and its oldest ally, France, have long been fraternal, but they've also been marked by deep French unease over their equality. French concerns about being the junior partner in the relationship boiled over last week when the U.S., Britain and Australia announced a new security initiative for the Indo-Pacific. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys, Pool, File)

Sub snub just one symptom of longtime French unease with US

Liberty and Fraternity, sure, Equality, not so much. Born of a revolution fought for liberty, ties between the United States and its oldest ally, France, have long been fraternal.

France's European Affairs Minister Clement Beune, right, speaks with the media as he arrives for a meeting of EU General Affairs ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021. European Union General Affairs ministers meet Tuesday to discuss the state of play in UK-EU relations and a submarine deal between the U.S., Britain and Australia, which led to France losing a contract to sell subs to Australia. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

France rallies EU as trust in US, UK and Australia wanes

France’s European Union partners have agreed to put the country’s security spat with the U.S., Australia and Britain on top of the bloc’s political agenda in coming months.

Defense official defends French submarine-making capability

France’s Defense Ministry has used Twitter to offer a robust defense of the country’s submarine-making capabilities and to criticize Australia’s decision to choose the United States as a partner in a major defense deal.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the economy in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Biden angers France, EU with new Australia, UK initiative

President Joe Biden’s decision to form a strategic Indo-Pacific alliance with Australia and Britain has angered France and the European Union with a go-it-alone move they see as a return to the Trump era.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the economy in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Biden angers France, EU with new Australia, UK initiative

President Joe Biden’s decision to form a strategic Indo-Pacific alliance with Australia and Britain has angered France and the European Union with a go-it-alone move they see as a return to the Trump era.