WASHINGTON, 24 September 2021, (TON): US President Joe Biden and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron spoke for the first time on Wednesday since a fierce row erupted over the sale of submarines to Australia, with both leaders agreeing to ease tensions.

Macron was left furious by Australia’s decision last week to ditch a 2016 deal to buy diesel submarines from France in favour of nuclear-powered ones from the United States and Britain, which had been secretly negotiated.

In a joint statement issued after the call, the leaders vowed to launch a process of “in-depth consultations” to restore confidence and to meet in Europe at the end of October at an unspecified location.

In what amounted to an acknowledgement of French anger, the statement from the White House said that the situation would have benefited from open consultations among allies on matters of strategic interest to France and our European partners.

The statement also said the US recognised the need for stronger European defence to complement the Nato military alliance, a key idea repeatedly floated by the French leader.