Washington, 2 October 2021 (TDI): US State Secretary Antony J. Blinken met with French Ambassador to the United States Philippe Etienne on Friday. The meeting convened in Washington D.C. where the officials discussed prospects of the US-French bilateral ties.
Ambassador Philippe Etienne expressed pleasure over his meeting with Secretary Blinken. During the meeting, the leaders discussed their mutual agenda for re-engagement and rebuilding of trust, particularly regarding the Indo-Pacific region, European Defense strategy, and combating terrorism in the Sahel. They also previewed Antony Blinken’s upcoming visit to Paris for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting, besides discussing ways to globally strengthen the US-French cooperation. Secretary Blinken regarded the meeting as a ‘productive discussion’ for the future of the two states.
The diplomatic relations between France and the United States were negatively affected last month after Australia proclaimed to cancel the 2016 multibillion-dollar deal with French submarines and chose the nuclear-powered submarines using the British and US technology instead. The French government, in retaliation, briefly withdrew its ambassador to the United States and Canberra Philippe Etienne; However, the US ambassador has recently returned to Washington.
