UK PM Johnson says 'Give me a break'; asserts AUKUS is a great step on global security

Amid submarine row, Britain Prime Minister Boris Johnson has asked France to 'get a grip.' Speaking to reporters in Washington, Johnson further added that it was time for France to take a break, reported Sky News. The statement of Johnson came days after France expressed displeasure over the cancellation of the submarine deal by Australia. 

Boris Johnson says 'get a grip'

Speaking to reporters in Washington, UK PM Boris Johnson said, "I just think its time for some of our dearest friends around the world to prenez un grip (get a grip) about all this. Donnez-moi un break(give me a break)". Johnson asserted that the trilateral security partnership named AUKUS was a "great step forward for global security", as per a report by Sky News. Furthermore, he added that it was a partnership of three like-minded allies to share technology.

Johnson while speaking to reporters said, "It's not exclusive, It's not trying to shoulder anybody out. It's not adversarial towards China, for instance." The Britain Prime Minister stressed that the partnership named 'AUKUS' has been created in order to strengthen the friendship between the three countries. Speaking to reporters, Johnson said, "It is there to intensify links and friendship between three countries in a way that I think will be beneficial for things that we believe in." Johnson made this statement while he was in the US to attend the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. On the sidelines of UNGA, Johnson met US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Harris and Johnson exchanged views on cooperation between two countries on defence, security, trade and foreign policy.

Australia pulled out from a submarine deal with France

The statement came days after Australia backed out of the French submarine deal due to a trilateral security partnership between the US, UK and Australia. Under this trilateral security partnership called "AUKUS", Australia would acquire a nuclear-powered submarine. Soon after the multibillion-dollar deal to build French submarines was dropped by the Australian side, France recalled its ambassadors from Canberra and Washington, according to ANI. The French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had described the calling off the submarine deal as a "stab in the back". 

Image: AP

Inputs from ANI