BORIS Johnson has told France to “prenez un grip” as the country furiously reacts to the UK’s security deal with the US and Australia.
Last week, France removed its ambassadors from the US after the UK and US agreed to help supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.
And on Monday, France's defence minister Florence Parly pulled out of talks with her UK counterpart Ben Wallace.
The move has been labelled a “stab in the back” by French officials as the deal saw Paris lose out on a 56 billion euro deal for French diesel-electric submarines.
READ MORE: French defence chief pulls out of UK talks as submarine row escalates
Despite efforts last week to soothe tensions, the Prime Minister has taken a different tact, telling the French president to “donnez-moi un break” ("give me a break" in French).
Asked about the security pact during his visit to Washington, Johnson said: "I just think it's time for some of our dearest friends around the world to prenez un grip [get a grip] about this and donnez moi un break.
"Because this is fundamentally a great step forward for global security. It's three very like-minded allies standing shoulder to shoulder creating a new partnership for the sharing of technology.
"It's not exclusive. It's not trying to shoulder anybody out. It's not adversarial towards China, for instance."
He added: "I find it very hard to see in this agreement anything not to like."
The UK-US deal with Australia, AUKUS, has been widely seen as an attempt to combat a growing military presence in the Pacific region by China.
France has accused its allies of being blindsided by the deal which should supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines which are quieter and can stay underwater for longer.
READ MORE: There is something profound at stake for France in AUKUS deal
The pact will also see Australia, the US and UK collaborate in cyber, quantum technologies and artificial intelligence.
In a joint statement when AUKUS was announced, Johnson, US President Joe Biden and Australian prime minister Scott Morrison said: "The endeavour we launch today will help sustain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
"For more than 70 years, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the US, have worked together, along with other important allies and partners, to protect our shared values and promote security and prosperity. Today, with the formation of AUKUS, we recommit ourselves to this vision."
Responding to AUKUS, China said the countries need to “shake off their cold war mentality and ideological prejudice”.
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