The French government has promised to restore its ambassador to the United States after President Joe Biden phoned French President Emmanuel Macron Wednesday afternoon to address French concerns about an Australian submarine program, the Associated Press reports.
The United States entered into an agreement with Australia to build new nuclear submarines for the Australian navy as part of an Indo-Pacific defense pact with Britain. The arrangement prompted the Australian government to cancel a previous deal with France to build diesel-electric submarines, a contract worth billions.
Biden talked to Macron to reinforce the alliance between their two nations, the longest-held alliance in American history. After the half-hour call, the White House released a photo of Biden smiling during the conversation and called the call “friendly.”