London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 26, 2025

‘Our love of France is ineradicable’ (of course we all believe him...): UK Prime Minister Johnson tries to placate furious Paris amid submarine deal row

‘Our love of France is ineradicable’ (of course we all believe him...): UK Prime Minister Johnson tries to placate furious Paris amid submarine deal row

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has spoken about Britain’s undying love for France and the deep bond between the two countries, after the recent AUKUS security pact put a dent in relations.

“We are very, very proud of our relationship with France and it is of huge importance to this country,” Johnson told reporters upon arriving in New York for the upcoming UN General Assembly session.

“It is a very friendly relationship – an entente cordiale – that goes back a century or more and is absolutely vital for us,” the PM said, referencing the name of the World War I-era Anglo-French alliance. He added that London works “shoulder to shoulder” with Paris in NATO missions and other military endeavours around the globe.

"This is something that goes very, very deep. Our love of France, our admiration of France is ineradicable."


Johnson’s statement came after France reportedly cancelled this week’s meeting between Defence Minister Florence Parly and her UK counterpart Ben Wallace.

France has been furious since Australia ditched a major joint submarine programme in favour of acquiring nuclear-powered submarines with the help of the US and UK earlier this month. The three-nation security agreement, known as AUKUS, was blasted by the French government, which recalled the country’s ambassadors from Washington and Canberra in protest.

On Saturday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the UK has been “a bit like the third wheel” in AUKUS and scolded London for “their constant opportunism.” French Secretary of State for European Affairs Clement Beaune told the country’s media that Britain’s strategy after Brexit “apparently consists of being a junior partner [of the US] rather than working with various allies,” and alleged that the UK has “accepted a form of a vassal status.”
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, meanwhile, said the French side was well aware that, given the rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific, the French submarines were “not what Australia needed to protect our sovereign interests.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
×