The U.S. ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, has been banned from meeting members of the French government after not showing up at the Foreign Affairs ministry, where he had been summoned over comments on the killing of a French far-right activist last week, diplomatic sources said on Monday.
However, he will regain full access to the French government after he explains his decision not to show up, France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Tuesday.
"He needs to be able to have this discussion with us, with the Quai d'Orsay (the Foreign Ministry), so that he can resume the normal exercise of his duties as ambassador in France," Barrot told France Info radio station.
Diplomatic sources stated that Kushner cited personal commitments for his absence and sent a senior embassy official in his place.
In a statement from the French foreign ministry it said that Kushner showed a failure to grasp the basic requirements of his diplomatic mission. The ministry confirmed he will no longer be allowed direct access to members of the French government. He will still be permitted to communicate with standard foreign ministry officials.
This marks Kushner’s second failure to attend a summoned meeting since his appointment last year.
He previously missed an August meeting regarding an open letter he wrote to French President Emmanuel Macron.
The diplomatic dispute centres on the death of 23-year-old Quentin Deranque who died from head injuries following clashes between radical left and far-right supporters in Lyon on 12 February. It was an incident that shocked the nation and has been called "France's Charlie Kirk moment", referring to last year's shooting of the U.S. conservative activist.
Six men have been charged in connection with the killing.
U.S. and international comments
The U.S. Embassy in France and the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Counterterrorism said they were monitoring the case, warning on X that "violent radical leftism was on the rise" and should be treated as a public safety threat.
The U.S. embassy in Paris subsequently posted a French translation of these remarks, which prompted the summons.
Barrot denounced the comments, stating that France rejects any attempts to exploit the incident for political ends.
He added that the country has no lessons to learn from the international reactionary movement.
The event also caused friction with Italy after Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni commented on the death, drawing criticism from Macron regarding interference in domestic affairs.
European leaders are meeting in Finland for a high-level summit on Arctic security and cooperation as the region takes on greater strategic importa...
Georgia has been formally integrated into the European Union's Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), bringing Anaklia Deep-Sea Port, Georgi...
Türkiye’s foreign minister has renewed calls for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to disarm and disband, during talks with...
Maritime trackers received new reports of an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), adding to concerns about energy supplies after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline on Saturday.
A Kyiv-Warsaw train was struck near the Polish border, Ukraine's state railway firm said on Sunday. No passengers were injured. Ukrainian Railways said that the country's railways were facing systematic attacks for a second day and warned of widespread delays.
U.S. Central Command said 101 commercial vessels have been redirected in the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices rose more than three per cent amid fresh regional attacks and supply concerns.
Swedes vote in an election on Sunday (13 September) that could see the far-right enter government for the first time if the country's right-wing parties can form a majority.
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said an attack on a train near the Polish border was an attempt to intimidate Ukraine's allies.
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said an attack on a train near the Polish border was an attempt to intimidate Ukraine's allies.
European leaders are meeting in Finland for a high-level summit on Arctic security and cooperation as the region takes on greater strategic importance.
Amazon has paused its operations with 21 Air, the Miami-based cargo carrier that operated an Amazon Air flight which crashed at Miami International Airport last weekend, killing five people.
Voters in the southern Philippines are casting ballots in a historic election that could shape the future of one of the country’s most conflict-affected regions and put a decades-long peace process to a crucial test.
U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed back against growing calls for the artificial intelligence (AI) industry to slow down, arguing that maintaining America’s lead over China is more important.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment