Following recent attempts by US ambassadors in Poland and Belgium to intervene in national politics, the US Ambassador to France was at the centre of a diplomatic dispute with Paris. After the French Foreign Minister stated that the US diplomat would lose access to French government officials due to his absence at a scheduled meeting, the ambassador tried to alleviate the situation.
French authorities summoned Ambassador Charles Kushner in response to comments by the Trump administration deemed objectionable by France. However, Ambassador Kushner did not attend the meeting on Monday evening, as noted by the French Foreign Ministry.
In light of the Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot‘s comments that the no-show could hinder the ambassador’s effectiveness in France, Ambassador Kushner reached out to discuss the matter, and both parties agreed to arrange a meeting in the coming days.
Following their conversation, the US Embassy in Paris issued a statement affirming that Ambassador Kushner and Minister Barrot engaged in a candid and constructive dialogue. They reiterated their mutual commitment to collaborative efforts on various issues of importance to both nations, especially as the United States and France celebrate 250 years of fruitful diplomatic relations.
The situation emerged after tweets from the Trump administration regarding the beating death of far-right activist Quentin Deranque in France. The 23-year-old student was attacked during clashes between far-left and far-right activists in Lyon and later died from brain injuries.
The State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau stated that “violent radical leftism is on the rise and its role in Quentin Deranque’s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety.” The US Embassy in Paris also shared the message in French. This prompted a strong reaction from the French government, which summoned the US Ambassador for discussions.
After Kushner missed a scheduled meeting, the ambassador contacted Minister Barrot to address the issue. The French minister emphasised that France cannot accept foreign interference. Kushner acknowledged this concern, expressed a commitment to respect France’s sovereignty, and they agreed to meet soon to discuss the matter further.
“There is nothing more usual than summoning an ambassador when explanations need to be made,” he said. “When these explanations have taken place, then the US ambassador in France will, naturally, regain access to members of the French government.”
“We don’t accept that foreign countries can come and interfere, invite themselves, into the national political debate,” he said.
Barrot has expressed that the recent disagreement should not detract from the overall positive relationship between the United States and France.
“Not showing up is his personal responsibility,” he said. “It does not affect the relationship between France and the United States in any way.”
In August, the French government summoned Ambassador Kushner in response to a letter he had addressed to President Emmanuel Macron. In this correspondence, the ambassador alleged that France was insufficiently addressing the issue of antisemitism. The French foreign ministry deemed these allegations to be “unacceptable.” At that time, Kushner did not personally attend the meeting and instead delegated the responsibility to his deputy.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
