‘Prenez un grip’: Boris Johnson digs in as Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron speak

Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron agree to find a way to defuse the subs row but Boris Johnson snipes ‘Donnez moi un break’ (‘Give me a break’)

Scott Morrison meets Boris Johnson before a working dinner in Washington. Picture: Adam Taylor VIA PMO

US President Joe Biden and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron had a “friendly” phone call Wednesday to defuse a deep row over submarine sales to Australia, promising to find ways to repair the transatlantic relationship.

The call, which the White House said lasted about 30 minutes, was the first between Mr Biden and Mr Macron since France recalled its ambassador over the announcement of a deal to build nuclear submarines for Australia, scuppering a previous $9 billion French deal to sell conventional submarines.

In a joint statement after the call, the two leaders vowed to launch “in-depth consultations … for ensuring confidence” and to meet in Europe at the end of October. The statement also said Mr Macron would order France’s ambassador back to Washington next week.

However UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has dug in after France also recalled its ambassador to Britain, appealing to the French to “prenez un grip”.

Mr Johnson said it was “time for some of our dearest friends around the world to ‘prenez un grip’ (get a grip)”.

“Donnez-moi un break, because this is fundamentally a great step forward for global security,” he told Sky News during a visit to Washington.

After Mr Biden and Mr Macron spoke, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters the talk “was friendly” and Mr Biden was “hopeful this was a step in returning to normal.” The statement 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.

In what amounted to an acknowledgment of French anger, the English language version of the statement issued by the White House said that the management of the duelling submarine deals “would have benefited from open consultations among allies.” The French-language version issued by the Elysee Palace was even more explicit, saying consultations “would have avoided this situation.”

Asked if Mr Biden had apologised to Mr Macron, Ms Psaki said: “He acknowledged there could have been greater consultation.”

There was no word about where the October meeting will be but Mr Biden will already be in Rome and Glasgow at that time for the G20 and COP26 climate summits.

Wednesday’s call sought at least to settle the mood, with the White House soon after releasing a photo of Mr Biden smiling while speaking to Mr Macron.

“The messages from the call are good. It was recognised that communication should have been better,” said Benjamin Haddad, director of the Europe Center at the Atlantic Council, a think tank.

“The US understood that the main shock in Paris did not come so much from the commercial aspect as from the breakdown in confidence,” he told AFP.

In another welcome step for Paris, the joint statement added that the US committed “to reinforcing its support to counter-terrorism operations” in the Sahel region of Africa, where French forces are deployed to fight jihadists.

However there is still no indication of France making up with Australia. An Elysee official, who asked not to be named, said no decision has been made on the French ambassador’s return to Canberra while no call has been scheduled with Scott Morrison.