French President Emmanuel Macron asserted that France’s offer to supply submarines to Australia still stands after Canberra ditched a multibillion-dollar submarine deal in 2021 sparking a bitter row.
The offer “is known and remains on the table,” Macron told reporters in Bangkok on Thursday following a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the slides of the G20 summit in Bali.
Macron affirmed that submarines would be built in Australia, indicating that such a choice would preserve Australia’s “freedom and sovereignty.”
The French leader opposed the proposal to the arrangement with the US and the UK to supply nuclear submarines, as it risks increasing tensions with China and make Australia dependent on other countries.
“It is up to the Australians to choose, we are consistent,” Macron said, adding that the Australian government has not changed its mind on the issue.
Last year, the nation entered into a fierce diplomatic disagreement after Canberra scrapped a contract for French submarines and instead formed a pact with the UK and the US to acquire nuclear-powered vessels.
After that move, Paris said it no longer trusted Australia. However, relations between the two countries have improved since the new Australian government took office this year.
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