Boris Johnson’s diplomatic offensive in the United States

Boris Johnson arrived in New York with a smile on Sunday, September 19, for a mini-climate summit co-organized with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday, followed the next day by his first visit to Joe Biden at Home White. For the British leader, the occasion is ideal to underline the strength of the “special relationship” with Washington, following its recent diplomatic success – the announcement of London’s participation in the Aukus defense agreement with the United States and Australia.

The sequence still presents risks for Mr Johnson: the Indo-Pacific alliance is increasingly questioning the United Kingdom and, above all, the British Prime Minister has only forty days left before the opening of COP26 in Glasgow, to convince rich countries to increase their contributions.

Relationship with damaged France

It certainly seems already far, on August 18, when, from Westminster, members in turmoil doubted the “special relationship” with Washington after the fall of Kabul in the hands of the Taliban. The most militarily engaged power after the United States, the United Kingdom had also been confronted with a fait accompli by the Biden administration. ” Where is “Global Britain” in the streets of Kabul? “, Theresa May was choking, alluding to that Brexiters slogan she had taken over when she was in Downing Street. But this strategy of turning its back on the European Union and becoming more attached to the United States has taken shape in recent days, as has the concept of ” Anglosphere Dear to Eurosceptics.

Boris Johnson has had rather quiet success so far though, if we are to believe Politico, he was to dine on Tuesday in Washington with the Australian Prime Minister: a mark of support as Paris multiplies the accusations of ” treason “ against Canberra. The Aukus alliance “Raises multiple questions, however, underlines Andy Mycock, Commonwealth specialist at Huddersfield University. It is understandable that Australia is very concerned about China, the Indo-Pacific alliance also makes sense for the United States, given its historical ties to the Pacific region, but for many Britons, the interest in their country is less clear – why go so far and neglect your neighbors? “

If Paris above all showed disdain for the British attitude, the Aukus alliance still causes damage between the two countries. A meeting scheduled this week between the Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, and her British counterpart, Ben Wallace, who again defended himself from any “Intention to offend, upset or drive a ditch with the French”, was canceled at the request of Paris. Boris Johnson also had to repeat from New York that the Aukus alliance was neither “Exclusive” nor intended for ” to divide “. And while the Daily Telegraph have fun “Fury” of the French, the Times, yet very conservative, invites in his editorial, Monday, Downing Street more finely: “Boris Johnson should suggest to Joe Biden that France be included in the new Aukus defense pact. “

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