AUKUS: France recalls ambassadors in Australia and US amid submarine pact row

France’s ambassador to Australia has left Canberra, as it carries out a highly charged response to the AUKUS security agreement.

The deal was announced on Wednesday between Australia, the UK and the US.

The French foreign minister said it was taking the rare step of recalling its Australian and Washington ambassadors because of the ‘exceptional gravity’ of the pact, which rips up a multi-billion euro submarine contract France had with Australia.

But the diplomatic fallout is about more than just money.