European Reactions to AUKUS and Implications for EU Strategic Autonomy

JOINT Brief nº. 5 (November 2021)

On 15 September 2021, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States announced AUKUS, a trilateral deal aimed at intensifying security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific area ostensibly to counterbalance Chinese influence. While AUKUS foresees cooperation in a number of policy areas, its core element is the provision of US-made nuclear-powered submarines to Australia. This has given a new dimension to AUKUS, as Australia abruptly cancelled a pre-existing contract for the purchase of thirteen diesel electric-powered submarines from France, leading to a diplomatic turmoil.