Why did US walk out on France at UN: What actually happened?

The U.S. delegation walked out of a UN Security Council meeting on Monday, July 27, during France’s remarks on Ukraine.

This escalated a public dispute between the longtime allies over a human rights vote.

The tension raised last week when the U.S. joined Russia, North Korea, and seven other nations while voting against extending Volker Turk’s term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The General Assembly then approved his reappointment (144-10) with France among the supporters.

After the vote, France’s UN mission tweeted: “The US used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore. Today, it stands alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali and Russia, isolated.”

Responding to these remarks, U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz fired back, alleging France of backing a rights chief who “lectures” democratic nations while “cosying up to the world’s most oppressors.”

U.S. walked out when French Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont was addressing an emergency Security Council session on Russia’s war in Ukraine. U.S. Deputy ambassador Dan Negrea said the delegation would continue such protests until France “Renounces their condescending and disrespectful rhetoric.”

Negrea went on to say that France was guilty of “disingenuous grandstanding” and “politicised drivel,” further claiming that “America has always supported France whenever their freedom has been threatened.”

Türk is well-known for his criticism of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and Israel’s behaviour in Gaza, but has also called for a “massive rethink” of the U.S. immigration system. The U.S. government has slashed funding for UN organizations and left a host of institutions under the Trump presidency.

France’s ambassador didn’t respond to the walkout directly; instead, he referred to France’s assistance to the U.S. in gaining independence and celebrating America’s 250th anniversary on July 4.

He said: “The United Nations was created with the goal of working towards international peace and security, human rights, and development.”