Row with leaders of the independent Free French (4)
I believe the answer is:
tiff
'row' is the definition.
(I know that tiff is a type of row)
'leaders of the independent free french' is the wordplay.
'leaders of' suggests taking the first letters.
The initial letters of 'the independent free french' is 'TIFF'.
'with' is the link.
(Other definitions for tiff that I've seen before include "Quarrel (colloq.)" , "Minor squabble" , "Mild quarrel" , "Row; argument" , "A petty quarrel or difference" .)