US aligns with Russia in UN vote on Ukraine

On two UN resolutions regarding Ukraine, Russia and the United States have voted against one another.

The two countries on Monday opposed a European-backed UN General Assembly resolution condemning Moscow’s war in Ukraine. A US-backed resolution calling for a quick end to the conflict that avoided labeling Russia as the aggressor or acknowledging Ukraine’s territorial integrity was then approved by both members of the UN Security Council.

The United States, Russia, and China, as well as the United Kingdom and France, both have permanent seats on the UNSC. So did non-permanent members Denmark, Greece and Slovenia.

The third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which comes as President Donald Trump overturns US support for Ukraine, a departure from a long-standing foreign policy, highlights once more the growing division between Western allies.

As it begins discussions with Moscow regarding a potential peace deal, the Trump administration has strained relations with Kyiv and Europe.

Meanwhile, the US president has intensified criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Condemned and discredited, respectively.

The European-backed General Assembly resolution, adopted with 93 votes in favour, expressed “concern over the ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation”, highlighting its “devastating and long-lasting consequences for Ukraine, regional stability, and global security”.

It called for “de-escalation, an immediate ceasefire, and a peaceful resolution to the conflict”, demanding Russia’s “complete and unconditional withdrawal” from Ukrainian territory.

In a surprising turn, the US voted against the motion, rather than abstaining. It was joined by 17 others, including Russia, Israel, North Korea, Sudan, Belarus, and Hungary.

Russian aggression and Ukraine’s territorial integrity were not mentioned in the US resolution’s proposal. It urged “a swift end to the conflict” and emphasised “the UN’s role in maintaining international peace and security”.

Russian vetoes prevented European efforts to amend the text with more language.

The 15-member UNSC then approved the resolution’s unamended version with 10 members’ vote.

Russian UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya praised the US resolution as a “constructive step” towards peace, calling it a “future-oriented product” focused on dialogue rather than escalation.

Its adoption, according to US Charge d’Affaires Dorothy Shea, was a “crucial first step” in the direction of a peace.

“We need to reconfirm that the aggression should be condemned and discredited, not rewarded”, said Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa.