U.S. Delays Approval of New French Ambassador Amid Diplomatic Scandal – Politico
The U.S. administration has postponed the confirmation process for Aurélien Leschevalier’s nomination as French ambassador to Washington.
The diplomatic tension stemmed from a post by the French Mission to the UN in Geneva, in which the U.S. was criticized for joining Russia and North Korea in voting against extending the mandate of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
French diplomats publicly stated that the U.S. was no longer a role model in the field of human rights, which sparked outrage in Washington. The U.S. State Department called such rhetoric irresponsible and disrespectful, and the U.S. delegation walked out of the UN Security Council meeting in protest. Despite attempts by both sides to resolve the dispute behind closed doors, the delay in appointing Emmanuel Macron’s ally underscores the growing rift between the allies.
Source: Politico.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump considered the possibility of delaying or blocking the appointment of France’s new ambassador to Washington. The reason cited is Paris’s public criticism of the United States’ position at the United Nations.
The U.S. delegation walked out of a UN Security Council meeting on the war waged by Russia, the aggressor state, against Ukraine during France’s statement. This occurred amid a public dispute between the allies over the vote to extend the mandate of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
