U.S. diplomats walked out of a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine after accusing France of making "disingenuous grandstanding" by comparing Washington with North Korea, Russia and other authoritarian states.
The walkout followed a weekend of exchanges between the two allies on social media after France criticised the U.S. for voting alongside Russia, North Korea and seven other countries against extending the term of Volker Türk, the UN's human rights chief, by four years.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz hit back, accusing France of backing a rights chief who criticises democracies such as the U.S. and Israel while "cozying up to the world's worst oppressors."
During Monday's Security Council session on Russia's war in Ukraine, Alternate U.S. Representative Dan Negrea said the American delegation had walked out during France's remarks and would continue to do so until Paris "renounced" what he described as "condescending and disrespectful rhetoric", branding the comments "politicised drivel."
The row centres on Friday's UN General Assembly vote, which overwhelmingly backed a four-year extension for Türk, an outspoken critic of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Israel's actions in Gaza, who has also called for inquiries into deaths in U.S. immigration custody.
The proposal, put forward by Secretary-General António Guterres, passed by 144 votes to 10, with 13 abstentions. Russia, Israel and the U.S. were among those opposed, with Washington threatening to reconsider its funding and engagement with the UN over the decision.
The dispute underscores worsening relations between the Trump administration and the UN, with Washington having already cut funding to numerous bodies within the international organisation and withdrawn from dozens of agencies.
Deputy UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq declined to comment directly on the walkout, saying only that the UN expected member states to respect decisions made through the General Assembly.
Read more from the UN:
The diplomatic dispute over France's overseas territories is widening, with pro-independence leaders in the Caribbean and the Pacific rejecting claims...
Yemen warned the Houthis were seeking to replicate Iran's Strait of Hormuz strategy in the Red Sea, as U.S. President Donald Trump said there was a "g...
Afghanistan and Uzbekistan signed 22 trade agreements worth more than $200 million during a business forum in Kabul on Sunday, as officials from both ...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that there is a good chance” of reaching a deal with Iran, but warned that Washington would resume military operation if negotiations fail.
Iran will halt its own attacks as long as the United States maintains its pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of U.S. intentions, a senior Iranian source told on Sunday.
The Russia-Ukraine war is increasingly reshaping the Caspian region. From threats to energy infrastructure to renewed diplomatic efforts, countries across the region are adapting to the wider consequences of a conflict that continues to disrupt trade, transport and security.
A New York school district has put plans to introduce a humanoid robot into classrooms on hold after fierce criticism from teachers, Indigenous community members and state education officials over the use of artificial intelligence in schools.
Yemen warned the Houthis were seeking to replicate Iran's Strait of Hormuz strategy in the Red Sea, as U.S. President Donald Trump said there was a "good chance" of a deal with Tehran but warned strikes could resume if talks failed.
The diplomatic dispute over France's overseas territories is widening, with pro-independence leaders in the Caribbean and the Pacific rejecting claims by French lawmakers that Azerbaijan is interfering in France's internal affairs.
Meteorologists in China have used a swarm of drones to observe Typhoon Noul as it passed through Guangdong province, aiming to improve weather monitoring and forecasting during extreme storms.
Tehran has stressed that its commercial vessel hit by a Ukrainian drone in the Caspian Sea on Saturday was carrying only civilian cargo and vowed to respond appropriately while holding Kyiv responsible for the attack.
Since 1946, nine people have served as UN Secretary-General, the closest thing the world has to a chief diplomat. The role carries no army and little hard power, yet its occupants have shaped how nations respond to war, famine and global crises. Here are five who left the deepest mark.
Two shallow earthquakes hit a remote area of China's Qinghai province on Tuesday, with authorities reporting no casualties or collapsed buildings so far.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment