Danes side with US against French criticism of defense deal

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark is siding with the United States in the dispute with its fellow EU member France over a major Indo-Pacific defense deal. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says she cannot understand France’s criticisms, and that there will always be “challenges” between allies. On Tuesday, the EU agreed to put France’s festering dispute over a major Indo-Pacific defense deal between the U.S., Australia and Britain at the top of bloc’s political agenda. Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian issued a statement Thursday saying he held a bilateral meeting with his American counterpart Antony Blinken, on the sidelines of the United Nations summit in New York, aimed at “restoring confidence” between their two countries.