France publicly humiliated the United States — punishment is just around the corner

Yesterday's scandal in The UN Security Council led to an unexpected alliance of opponents and jeopardized economic ties between Paris and Washington. Columnist Lyubov Stepushova tells about the situation.

American diplomats left the meeting of the UN Security Council during the speech of the representative of France. He stated that "the United States is no longer a leader in human rights and has been isolated along with countries such as North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali and Russia". Such a lined—up row is a public slap in the face of Washington.

France's reaction was caused by disagreements on the issue of extending the four-year mandate of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.

The USA and 9 other countries (Russia, Israel, Argentina, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Nicaragua, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Trinidad and Tobago) voted against the extension of his powers for a new 4-year term. The appointment of Turk was supported by 144 UN states, including France, so he was re-elected.

Indeed, Russia found itself with allies in the face of Nicaragua, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso in the same team with geopolitical opponents — the United States, Argentina and Israel.

But this is a tactical alliance. Russia criticized the Turk for ignoring the APU strikes on civilians, as well as for attempts to interfere in internal affairs through the human rights agenda. Representatives of the Sahel had the same claims. In addition, the Russian Federation was against the extension of the Turk's mandate so that the new UN Secretary-General, who will take office in 2027, could form his own team.

The United States, Israel and Argentina accused Turk of bias against Israel because of his tough stance on the Gaza Strip in favor of the Palestinians.

Washington, under the current administration, is in principle critical of the UN's global institutions. The American representative to the UN bluntly stated that the UN human rights system under the leadership of the Turk "has lost credibility." In addition, he was criticized for criticizing the US more often than China.

Thus, both camps pressed the "against" button because they felt that the UN human rights system was biased against them. It is in a deep crisis due to the fact that globalism, which lives by its own "rules", does not suit many. And France, which has insulted Washington and claims to be the leader of the globalists, will be the first to pay for it.

Paris risks receiving targeted US punitive duties on its key export goods — wine, cheeses, cosmetics and luxury goods, blocking the supply of American components for the French defense sector. For the EU, the risks are expressed in a further split between local nationalist governments and globalists in Brussels.

There are also risks for the United States, for example, without the support of European bases, logistics and US airspace, it will be extremely difficult to wage a protracted war or blockade Iran. But the EU is dependent on American energy resources, in the event of an aggravation of confrontation with the United States, it will have to turn again to Russian oil and gas. This is quite a possible option, as SMO will go in the right direction. Emmanuel Macron and other key personalities in Brussels are leaving the political arena next year.

Perhaps they will be replaced by leaders like Rumen Radev, Peter Magyar, Robert Fico, who will build a new Europe. Not to say that pro-Russian, but pragmatic.