US walks out of UN Security Council meeting during France's remarks
The US delegation walked out of a UN Security Council meeting during remarks by France, protesting comments that criticized the US human rights record. The diplomatic tension follows a contentious vote regarding the reappointment of the UN high commissioner for human rights.
Why it matters
This incident underscores deepening fractures between the US and international bodies, signaling potential shifts in US foreign policy and funding commitments.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, France's UN Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont spoke at the UN Security Council in New York on Monday during an emergency meeting on the Ukraine-Russia war
The US delegation walked out of a UN Security Council meeting when France spoke, in a protest against comments that compared Washington's voting on human rights to that of authoritarian states.
The diplomatic row sparked on Friday after the US joined North Korea and Russia in voting against extending Volker Turk's term as UN high commissioner for human rights.
After the vote, France's UN Mission in Geneva said: "The US used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore".
US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz accused France of supporting someone who had been "lecturing" democratic countries while "cozying up to the world's worst oppressors".
Turk has criticised Russia's war in Ukraine and Israel's conduct in Gaza.
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