- Sputnik International, 1920, 21.09.2021
AUKUS
On 15 September, the US, UK, and Australia announced the new trilateral AUKUS defence partnership. While the partners said it's designed to protect and defend "our shared interests in the Indo-Pacific", some experts believe the true purpose of the partnership is to counter China.

Borrell Expresses Regrets That EU Countries Were Not Invited to Join AUKUS

© AP Photo / Olivier MatthysEuropean Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell arrives for a media conference after a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, May 10, 2021.
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell arrives for a media conference after a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, May 10, 2021. - Sputnik International, 1920, 20.09.2021
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BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell met with his Australian counterpart, Marise Payne, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and expressed regret that the new Australian-UK-US partnership (AUKUS) excluded countries of the European Union, the EU foreign service said on Monday.
BRUSSELS, (Sputnik) - EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell met with his Australian counterpart, Marise Payne, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and expressed regret that the new Australian-UK-US partnership (AUKUS) excluded countries of the European Union, the EU foreign service said on Monday.
"High Representative/Vice-President Borrell and Foreign Minister Payne discussed the recent announcement of a security partnership by the US, United Kingdom and Australia and the cancellation of the submarine contract with France. He inquired about the lack of prior consultations and regretted that this partnership excludes European partners, who have a strong presence in the Pacific," the statement reads.
The current security challenges in the region that is strategically important to many EU countries require more cooperation between "likeminded partners," Borrell noted. He also said that the EU plans to hold internal consultations on the AUKUS issue.
Borrell and Payne agreed to maintain contact and further work towards "overcoming the challenges created by recent events."
On September 15, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States announced a defense partnership dubbed AUKUS, which allows Australia to acquire nuclear-propelled submarines from the two partners after unilaterally quitting a $66 billion submarine contract with France.
The move, which, tuned out, was not discussed with the French leadership, caused a rough patch in Australia-France relationship and forced Paris to recall its ambassadors from the US and Australia. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian described Australia's withdrawing from the contract as a "stab in the back."
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