NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned Thursday that disagreements between Paris and Washington over the strategic agreement between the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom should not lead to a split in NATO.
“I understand France’s disappointment. But this kind of disagreement should not cause a rift in the alliance nor weaken the strength of the transatlantic link,” he said in a press conference after meeting in Brussels with NATO’s security advisers. 1930s NATO member states.
“The issue was discussed during the meeting, and I am convinced that the allies concerned will find a way to reach an agreement,” he added.
The announcement of a deal between the US, Australia and the UK, called AUKUS, sparked outrage in France as it lost a multi-million dollar submarine contract with Canberra.
After the incident, US Presidents Joe Biden and French Emmanuel Macron met by phone, and will speak again in mid-October.
“As allies, we don’t always agree on everything, all the time, but we never lose sight of the whole situation,” Stoltenberg insisted.
He continued, “At a time of heightened global competition, Europe and North America must continue to face a common front in NATO, as the security challenges we face are too important for a country or continent to do so alone.”
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