A diplomatic crisis erupted between the US and France at the United Nations. The US delegation walked out of the UN Security Council chamber during France's speech on Ukraine in a display of protest. This move came after France declared that it no longer viewed Washington as a 'human rights champion'.
US Deputy Representative Dan Negrea accused France of 'insincere posturing'. Negrea said, 'Until they retract their contemptuous and disrespectful remarks and act in a manner befitting their seat on this council, we will not grant them the courtesy of listening to their political nonsense.' The US delegation indicated it would continue to walk out during French speeches until France withdraws its criticisms.
![US delegation walks out of UN meeting to avoid hearing criticism of its human rights record - [İLKHA] İlke News Agency](https://ilkha.com/img/NewsGallery/2026/7/28/550826/FeaturedImage/ac8ee08c-b79b-478f-a79c-b7fb53792b10.jpg)
Volker Türk's term extension triggered the crisis
The tension stems from the extension of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk's term. The UN General Assembly approved the resolution extending Türk's mandate until October 2030 by a vote of 144 in favour, 10 against, and 13 abstentions. The US argued that the vote was rushed and requested additional consultation time, but was unsuccessful.
Washington also objects to Türk's record. American officials accuse Türk of not showing the same firmness towards authoritarian regimes while disproportionately criticising democracies like the US and Israel. According to a 2024 analysis by the human rights monitoring group UN Watch, Türk and his office initiated more public country condemnations against the US than against China, North Korea, Cuba, Saudi Arabia and Qatar combined, while making no criticism of certain repressive governments.
France and the European Union argue that Türk's courage to criticise strong democracies reflects the independence expected of the UN's top human rights official.
Israel backs US, France offers conciliatory message
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon supported the US's sharp rebuke. Danon said, 'I find France's behaviour shameful. The US is demonstrating moral clarity by defending the true values of the UN.' Danon accused France and other European countries of supporting voices within the UN that undermine rather than advance human rights.
French Ambassador to the UN Jérôme Bonnafont did not directly address the walkout in his remarks at the end of the meeting. Instead, he recalled that France helped the US win independence, saying, 'That is the spirit of the relationship between France and the United States.'
An unnamed French diplomat, however, said the disagreement should not be seen as a broader rupture, stating, 'Differences in how we assess a vote do not call into question the quality of our relations or our ability to work together.'
Maria Nica / Editor
