Despite a conciliatory phone call between U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, the flare-up in trans-Atlantic tensions over the AUKUS spat shows little sign of abating. The Biden administration underestimated the severity of the diplomatic fallout the deal would cause, both with France and within the EU.

The AUKUS partnership has led to a diplomatic spat between the Anglosphere allies and France, which recalled its ambassadors from Washington and Canberra. The pact highlights China’s rise as a world power, but also raises questions about the ability of Western allies to remain united when their economic interests diverge.