France says Biden acted like Trump to sink Australia defence deal

Franceaccused USPresident JoeBidenon Thursday of stabbing it in the back and actinglikehis predecessor DonaldTrumpafter Paris was pushed aside from a lucrativedefencedealthat it had signed withAustraliafor submarines.

The United States, Britain andAustraliasaid they would establish a security partnership for the Indo-Pacific that will helpAustraliaacquire USnuclear-powered submarines and scrap the $40 billion French-designed submarinedeal.

"This brutal, unilateral and unpredictable decision reminds me a lot of what MrTrumpused to do," Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian toldfranceinfo radio. "I am angry and bitter. This isn't done between allies."

In 2016,Australiahad selected French shipbuilder Naval Group to build a new submarine fleet worth $40 billion to replace its more than two-decades-old Collins submarines.

Two weeks ago, theAustraliandefenceand foreign ministers had reconfirmed thedealtoFrance, and French President Emmanuel Macron lauded decades of future cooperation when hostingAustralian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in June.

"It's a stab in the back. We created a relationship of trust withAustraliaand that trust has been broken," Le Drian said.

Relations betweenTrumpand Macron soured duringTrump's presidency, and diplomats say there have been concerns in recent months thatBidenis not being forthright with his European allies.

Washington's actions inAustraliaarelikely to further strain Transatlantic ties. The European Union was due to roll out its Indo-Pacific strategy later on Thursday and Paris is preparing to take on the EU presidency.

"This is a clap of thunder and for many in Paris a Trafalgar moment," Bruno Tertrais, Deputy Director of the Paris-based think tank the Foundation of Strategic Research said on Twitter, referring to a French naval defeat in 1805 that was followed by British naval supremacy.

He said it would "complicate the transatlantic cooperation in and about the region. Beijing will benefit."

Bidensaid on WednesdayFranceremained a "key partner in the Indo-Pacific zone."

Morrison said in a statement thatAustralialooked forward to continuing to work "closely and positively" withFrance, adding: "Franceis a key friend and partner toAustraliaand the Indo-Pacific."