US walks out of UN Security Council meeting after France criticism over rights vote

The United States walked out of a United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday during France's remarks on Ukraine, deepening a public dispute between the two longtime allies. The exit came after a weekend row over Washington's vote against extending the mandate of the UN human rights chief. France had compared the US position with that of Russia, North Korea and other authoritarian states.

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The immediate trigger was a vote on the future of Volker Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights. France criticised the US for joining Russia, North Korea and seven other countries in opposing a proposal to extend his term by four years. US Ambassador Mike Waltz responded by accusing France of backing a rights chief who, he said, criticises democratic countries such as the US and Israel while being too close to oppressive governments.

During the Security Council session on Russia's war against Ukraine, Dan Negrea, an alternate US representative to the UN, said the American delegation had left while France was speaking. He said the delegation would continue to do so until France renounced what he called condescending and disrespectful rhetoric. He also described France's comments as politicised drivel and disingenuous grandstanding.

The exchange shows how a disagreement over human rights voting has spilled into a separate forum focused on the war in Ukraine. The dispute matters because it involves two permanent members of the Security Council and comes at a time of wider strain between Washington and the United Nations. The vote on Turk's mandate was not only symbolic.

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It also highlighted divisions over the UN's human rights agenda, including criticism of Russia's war in Ukraine and Israel's conduct in Gaza, both of which have drawn strong reactions from different member states. The General Assembly had already voted overwhelmingly on Friday to extend Turk's term, with 144 states in favour, 10 against and 13 abstentions. The proposal had been put forward by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

The result underlined broad support for the rights chief even as Russia, Israel and others opposed the move, and as Washington said it may reassess its funding and engagement with the UN. What remains unclear is whether the walkout will lead to any formal diplomatic response or further public exchanges between the two governments. It is also not yet clear whether the dispute will affect cooperation in the Security Council on Ukraine or on other UN business.

The episode adds to a broader pattern of friction over human rights, funding and the role of the UN, and it will be watched for signs of whether the disagreement widens beyond this week's meetings.

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