Paris was sunny on July 1, 2022. At the Elysée Palace in Paris, Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese met with the French President Emmanuel Macron under a bright blue sky. It is not necessary to be a psychologist or a behavioural expert to understand that both leaders like each other. This is especially important in international relations.
The Australian prime minister, went out of his way to recast the Australia’s relationship with France after the former prime minister, Scott Morrison ham-fisted the cancelation of the French submarine contract and sent the relationship between the two allies spiralling.
There is no doubt that France and Australia are important Indo-Pacific powers. In the southern hemisphere, they cover a vast territory. Moreover, in the years to come, Paris will play an important role in the geopolitical strategy in the area. The Pacific will be the focus of the new great power game in the near future, in a rapidly changing world. This is far beyond Francis Fukuyama’s notion of the end of history, which ultimately, never occurred. After all, according to Herodotus, history follows its own path century after century.
Two world wars, the atomic bomb explosions, and the cold war shaped the 20th century. In 1989, everyone thought that all this had finally come to an end. Having made millions of deaths and having been with a sword of Damocles over its head, humanity had finally changed for the better. There was a golden opportunity to turn the page and open a much brighter and more pacific one in the 21st century. This is especially true in Europe, which was so deeply divided by the iron curtain. Since Yalta, Stalin had a buffer zone in the form of satellite countries located both in the Balkans and on the Eastern part of the Old Continent, until Michael Gorbachev ended it.
Nevertheless, on February 25, 2022, all these hopes were disproved, and the cold war is about to return. The Kremlin still thinks and fights the same way it did sixty years ago. Especially among civilians, spreading death and destruction. Consequently, more than 7 million Ukrainians have already fled their homes, nearly all of which are just ruins. And fierce battles have erupted once more on European soil in the last four months. The situation is so dire that Finland and Sweden have recently joined NATO. The EU had just accepted Ukraine and Moldavia as candidate countries. Baltic states such as Lithuania and Estonia are under pressure, and threats to launch nuclear weapons are widely spread reminding a Soviet-style psychological warfare operation.
This war, like previous ones, is primarily about values and principles. On the one hand, there is the free market and democratic way of government, which includes freedom of speech, open media, and respect for all minorities and different opinions, and on the other hand, there is a completely different concept based on business oligarchy and an authoritarian exercise of power, which uses soviet-style propaganda and leaves no room for opposition or any dissident voice. In this context, I believe that seeing the Australian Prime Minister give a joint interview with the French President is a watershed moment for the Indo-Pacific. Because there is no room for any severe breach of trust and respect any longer. Nations with shared values must collaborate to find solutions through dialogue and stronger cooperation. All Western-style democracies should collaborate globally. In North America, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific region. Particularly in light of a new era in which China and Russia are forging stronger economic and strategic ties and partnerships.
Certainly, the situation in Europe is becoming increasingly complicated in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, in our highly globalized world, the fire could quickly spread in different directions. Japan’s support for Ukraine could reshape its relations with Russia, while Taiwan remains an open question for all major players. China is pursuing its long-term global power strategy, with the goal of expanding its influence throughout the world.
Of course, restoring a damaged relationship and developing common French Australian artistic, energy, environmental protection, and business projects are necessary steps toward a brighter future in the short term. And there is no doubt that Paris and Canberra can have opposing agendas and priorities on various issues, while defending their respective national interests. However, in the twenty-first century’s new cold war era, there is a strong need for unambiguous positions, mutual trust, and partnerships. Maintaining, in such a way, peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific for the benefit of future generations. This is the reason why, in my opinion, rebuilding their relationship is critical.