'Get a grip': UK Prime Minister tells France

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Speaking a day after he met with Biden in Washington, Johnson told reporters: "I just think it's time for some of our dearest friends around the world to 'prenez un grip' about all this, 'donnez-moi un break', because this is fundamentally a great step forward for global security."

He was translating the English phrases 'get a grip' and 'give me a break' literally into French.

Johnson added this partnership with the United States and Australia is not "adversarial" to China, and is there to strengthen links between the three countries.

The new defense partnership between Britain, the United States, and Australia was announced last week and will give Australia access to nuclear-powered submarine technology.

France accused U.S. President Joe Biden of stabbing it in the back and acting like his predecessor Donald Trump after Paris was pushed aside from a historic defense export contract to supply Australia with submarines.

Paris recalled ambassadors from the United States and Australia.