Australia’s foreign ministry has “noted with regret” France’s decision to recall its ambassador to Australia, after the island nation this week scrapped a $90 billion deal for conventional diesel-electric submarines in favour of a nuclear fleet option as part of an alliance with the United States and the United Kingdom.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian described the move as a stab in the back and overnight said he was directed by President Emmanuel Macron to recall their ambassadors from Australia and the United States in protest of the deal.
