France’s humiliation by America will have lasting effects
Snubbed over subs, President Emmanuel Macron is even keener to build up European autonomy
THE TIDE was pleasingly high, the seaweed on the white sands of the Cornish beach carefully combed out of sight. Seven world leaders sauntered back from their seafront photo for talks. As they walked, only one was treated to the American presidential arm, a full across-the-back hold, and for a total of 37 seconds: the French president, Emmanuel Macron. The high art of diplomatic choreography renders such fleeting gestures priceless. Was it not a kind of consecration? Britain’s Boris Johnson may have hosted the G7 meeting in June. But France’s president got the honours.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “The great sub snub”
From the September 25th 2021 edition
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