US sides with Russia at UN on Ukraine war in seismic shift

Under the leadership of U.S. President Donald Trump, a significant shift has emerged in transatlantic relations. In three United Nations resolutions concerning the war in Ukraine, the United States declined to condemn Russia's invasion, diverging from its European allies. These three resolutions aimed to bring an end to the three-year-long war.

This widening rift stems from Trump's decision to engage in direct negotiations with Russia to end the war. This move has unsettled Ukraine and its European backers, who were excluded from the initial talks last week. The exclusion of key stakeholders raises concerns about the potential outcomes and long-term implications of these negotiations.

At the UN General Assembly, the U.S. joined Russia in voting against a European-backed Ukrainian resolution condemning Moscow's aggression and demanding the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops. Subsequently, the U.S. abstained from voting on its own competing resolution after European nations, led by France, successfully amended it to explicitly name Russia as the aggressor. These votes occurred on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion, as Trump hosted French President Emmanuel Macron in Washington.

The votes marked a major setback for the Trump administration in the 193-member UN body. While UN resolutions are not legally binding, they are seen as barometers of world opinion. The U.S. then pushed for a vote in the UN Security Council on its original draft resolution, where resolutions are legally binding and the U.S. holds veto power, along with Russia, China, the U.K., and France. In the 15-member council, the vote was 10 in favor, with five European nations—the U.K., France, Denmark, Greece, and Slovenia—abstaining.

These competing resolutions also reflect growing tensions between the U.S. and Ukraine. Trump has escalated his rhetoric, calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a "dictator" for not holding elections during the war, even as much of Ukraine is under Russian occupation and many soldiers are on the front lines. Trump also falsely accused Kyiv of provoking the war and warned Zelensky to "better move quickly" to negotiate an end to the conflict or risk losing the country. Zelensky responded that Trump was living in a Russian-fabricated "information space."

Amidst intense diplomatic activity, Trump's meeting with Macron will be followed by a visit to the U.S. by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday. Just over a month ago, these key U.S. allies were aligned with Washington on Ukraine, but now find themselves at odds over the best path forward for ending the war at the UN. The diverging approaches highlight the complexities of navigating international conflicts and maintaining allied unity.

The UN General Assembly first passed the Ukrainian resolution with 93 votes in favor, 18 against, and 65 abstentions. This result indicates waning support for Ukraine, as previous UN General Assembly votes had seen over 140 nations condemning Russia's aggression, demanding immediate withdrawal, and rescinding the annexation of four Ukrainian regions. The shift in voting patterns suggests a need for renewed diplomatic efforts to maintain international consensus.

The Assembly then turned to the U.S.-drafted resolution, which recognized "the tragic loss of life throughout the conflict in and around Ukraine" and "implore[d] a swift cessation of hostilities and further urge[d] a durable peace between Ukraine and the Russian Federation" but never mentioned Moscow's aggression. The omission of Russia's role in the conflict drew criticism and prompted amendments from European nations.

In a surprise move, France introduced three amendments, backed by more European nations, that added that the conflict was a result of "the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation." The amendments reaffirmed the Assembly's commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity and called for a peace that respects the UN Charter. These amendments aimed to strengthen the resolution and clearly assign responsibility for the conflict.

Russia also introduced an amendment calling for addressing the "root causes" of the conflict. All the amendments passed, and the resolution passed with 93 votes in favor, 8 against, and 73 abstentions, with Ukraine voting "yes," the U.S. abstaining, and Russia voting "no." The varied voting patterns reflect the deep divisions and competing interests surrounding the conflict in Ukraine.

Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister, Mariana Betsa, said that her country was exercising its "inherent right of self-defense" after Russia's invasion, which violated the UN Charter's requirements that nations respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other nations. "As we mark the third anniversary of this devastation—Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine—we call on all nations to stand strong and stand on the side of the Charter, on the side of humanity, on the side of just and lasting peace, peace through strength," she said. Trump has often said he is committed to "peace through strength."

Meanwhile, U.S. Deputy Ambassador Dorothy Shea said that previous UN resolutions condemning Russia and demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops "failed to stop the war," which "has dragged on for far too long and at too terrible a cost to the people of Ukraine, to the people of Russia, and to people around the world." Shea said before the vote, "What we need is a resolution that marks a commitment by all UN member states to work for a durable end to the war."

In the Security Council, Russia used its veto to block any changes to the U.S. resolution. The resolution, legally binding but lacking practical effect, had as its sole operative paragraph "implore[d] a swift cessation of hostilities and further urge[d] a durable peace between Ukraine and the Russian Federation." Shea called it "a first step, but a vital one" and said it "sets us on a path to peace." The limitations of the resolution highlight the challenges of achieving meaningful action in the face of geopolitical divisions.

With the Security Council paralyzed by Russia's veto, the UN General Assembly has become the UN's most important body on Ukraine. Since Russian troops crossed the border on Feb. 24, 2022, the Assembly has passed six resolutions condemning the invasion and demanding the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops. The Ukrainian resolution passed on Monday recalled the need to implement previous resolutions, particularly emphasizing the demand that Russia "immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine." The resolution reaffirmed the Assembly's commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and stated that it "does not recognize as lawful any territorial acquisition by threat or use of force." It called for "de-escalation, an early cessation of hostilities, and a peaceful resolution of the war against Ukraine" and reiterated the "urgent need to bring an end to the war this year."