After the quarrel caused by the Aukus affair, the paths of Franco-Australian rapprochement will soon pass through Ukraine. France and Australia announced, Monday, January 30, in Paris, their intention to deliver together ” several thousands “ of 155 mm shells, ammunition requested by kyiv to face the Russian army. The decision was unveiled after a meeting of French and Australian defense and foreign ministers, the first in this format since the crisis that occurred in September 2021, after the announcement of an agreement with the States United States and the United Kingdom to equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. The alliance (called “Aukus”, for Australia, United Kingdom and United States) then negotiated in the greatest secrecy by the former conservative government had been considered by Paris as a “stab in the back”since it had led in particular to the termination of a very important contract previously signed with France for the supply of twelve conventional submersibles.
This is the first time that the two countries have cooperated in this way in order to help kyiv, almost a year after the invasion launched by Russia. The contract will be executed by French Nexter, using Australian powder. The first shells produced jointly must be delivered before the end of March. Supporting Ukraine is “an issue of importance for all countries, particularly for small and medium-sized powers which are very dependent on compliance with international rules, including the United Nations Charter”explained, in an interview with Mondethe Australian Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, after a meeting with her French counterpart, Catherine Colonna, and with the Minister for the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu.
Canberra’s military assistance to Ukraine, she said, amounts to some 475 million Australian dollars (308 million euros), to which is added 65 million in humanitarian aid. For her, this support is a ” a matter of principle “ et “the expression of a community of values and interests” with France: “It is a question of seeing if the States respect the charter of the United Nations, which protects our sovereignty against the aggressions. »
“Recomposition of the world order”
Received in Paris before going to London on Tuesday, Mme Wong and his defense colleague, Richard Marles, thus sought with their French counterparts to “rebuilding the relationship” Franco-Australian, following the visit to the Elysée by the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, on 1is July 2022. They also indicated that the new government had no intention of equipping itself with conventional submarines, pending the delivery, on a still uncertain date, of the nuclear-powered submersibles promised by London and Washington . One way to respond to Emmanuel Macron, who had made it known, in mid-November, during a trip to Bangkok, that the French offer was “always on the table”, despite the breach of the contract, completed as soon as the new government took office.
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