Russia-Ukraine war: How the US position has changed on UN resolutions

The United States voted against a UN General Assembly resolution that condemned Russia for its invasion after three years of unwavering support for Ukraine.

On Monday, the US released a resolution that did not specifically blame Russia for the conflict but instead demanded that the war be ended in a neutral manner.

These actions reflect the growing tensions between the US and Europe as well as the change in Washington’s approach to Ukraine under US President Donald Trump’s leadership.

Here’s what you need to know about the shift in policy:

What happened with the UNGA resolution?

The US was one of 18 countries to vote against the resolution titled, “Advancing a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine”.

The resolution the US opposed clearly acknowledged that it was Moscow, and not Kyiv, that started this ongoing war in 2022, and called for UNGA members to reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine’s “sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity”.

Additionally, it reiterated to members that it is against international law to seize land by force or by using the threat of force, and that both sides must follow international law to protect civilians, “especially women and children.”

It demanded that Russia renounce the conflict and immediately withdraw from Ukraine, which was perhaps most notable.

The US, alongside Russia, North Korea, Hungary, Israel and a handful of other countries, voted against the resolution.

What did the US want instead?

In its own resolution, the US proposed a resolution titled “The path to peace” at the UNGA that demands a just and lasting resolution between Russia and Ukraine.

The resolution mourned “the tragic loss of life throughout the Russian Federation-Ukraine conflict”. Additionally, it reiterated that the UN’s purpose was to maintain international peace and to “peacefully settle disputes”.

But France made amendments to that draft, adding references to Moscow’s full-scale invasion and to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

This resolution was then passed by the UNGA, with 93 votes in favour, 8 against, and 73 abstentions. &nbsp, The US abstained from voting on this resolution.

The US then submitted the UN Security Council’s (UNSC) with the draft version of the resolution. It passed by a vote of 10-0 with five abstaining – the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Greece and Slovenia.

UNGA resolutions are not legally binding, but they do reflect and occasionally influence how the world views a conflict.

What distinguishes this from previous actions by the US?

The US has supported six UNGA resolutions that resemble the ones approved on Monday since the start of the conflict.

The UNGA has grown to be a significant body for resolutions on Ukraine now that the UNSC is paralyzed by Russia’s right to veto.

Six previous UNGA resolutions have been approved:

March 3, 2022 – 141 countries, including the US, voted in favour of a resolution condemning Russia’s declaration on February 24, 2022, of a “special military operation” and reaffirming that territorial acquisition by force is illegal. Russia was ordered to stop using force against Ukraine and withdraw its troops from the area, according to the resolution. Five nations cast ballots opposed to it.
• March 24, 2022 – the US joined 139 countries and voted in favour of a resolution which reaffirmed its “commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine”, calling on Russia to withdraw its troops.
• April 2022 – 93 countries, including the US, voted in favour of an UNGA resolution suspending Russia’s membership in the Human Rights Council.
• Washington voted 143 against the Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory in October 2022, which was supported by the UNGA resolution.
• November 2022: The US voted in favor of a UNGA resolution that won 94-14, calling on Russia to pay reparations to Ukraine and forbids Russian use of force and troop withdrawal.
• A resolution from February 23, 2023, which forbids the use of force to enslave people in Ukraine and asks Russia to withdraw its forces, was defeated by 141 votes to 7. Washington voted in favour of this resolution.

Only one UNSC resolution focusing on Russia’s war on Ukraine has passed.

This called for a special session of the general assembly to cover Ukraine on February 27, 2022. The emergency special session convened a day later after the US voted in favor of this.

In October 2022, the US co-sponsored a UNSC draft resolution condemning “illegal referendums” conducted in Russian-annexed Ukrainian territory. Additionally, it demanded that Russia withdraw its forces from Ukraine. Following Russia’s veto, this resolution failed.

What does the US have to say to the world?

The war hasn’t been stopped, according to US Deputy Ambassador Dorothy Shea, who has spoken out against numerous UN resolutions that have called for Russia’s withdrawal in the past.

Shea stated prior to the vote that the conflict has “married for far too long” and caused harm to both Russia and Ukraine.

Before the vote, Shea stated that “what we need is a resolution that affirms the commitment of all UN member states to a long-term end to the war.” This is the first step, according to her, “puts us on the path to peace.”

This is a stark contrast to comments made by Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US ambassador to the UN under former President Joe Biden.

“Every day, Ukrainian families live in fear of Russian war crimes, to date, troops have committed some 147, 000 of them. And every night, Ukrainian families live in fear of Russian aerial strikes, which continue to pound the country”, Thomas-Greenfield said during a UNSC briefing in November 2024.

“It is obvious that Russia is uninterested in Ukrainian life. However, it’s also obvious that Russia doesn’t care about Russian culture.

Source: Aljazeera