Biden meets with France's Macron, calls U.S. 'clumsy' in submarine deal

U.S. President Joe Biden meets with French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of the G20 summit in Rome, Italy October 29, 2021. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

ROME (Reuters) -President Joe Biden on Friday called U.S. government actions "clumsy" during his first meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron since a diplomatic crisis erupted last month over a U.S. security pact with Britain and Australia.

Biden used the meeting at the G20 summit in Rome, Italy, to try to turn the page on a relationship that came under strain over the U.S.-Australia security alliance, known as AUKUS, which also includes the United Kingdom. The pact effectively canceled a 2016 Australian-French submarine deal.