The United States joined Russia on Monday in voting against a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Moscow's war against Ukraine. The move placed the U.S. at odds with its European allies on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.
The Ukrainian and European-backed resolution passed with 93 votes in favor, expressing "concern the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation has persisted for three years" and calling for "a de-escalation, an early cessation of hostilities and a peaceful resolution." It also demanded Russia "immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces" from Ukraine.
The U.S. vote against the resolution came as the Trump administration engaged in talks with Moscow about ending the war. President Donald Trump has recently increased criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, signaling a shift in U.S. policy. In response, European leaders scrambled to adjust, with French President Emmanuel Macron meeting Trump at the White House on Monday.
The U.S. also introduced a rival General Assembly resolution, avoiding language that labeled Russia as the aggressor or acknowledged Ukraine's territorial integrity. It urged a "swift end to the conflict" and called for "a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia." After amendments strengthening language against Russia passed, the US abstained from its own proposal.
A similar U.S.-backed resolution passed in the UN Security Council with 10 votes, including Russia's, and five abstentions. European members criticized the resolution for lacking firm language on Russian aggression. French Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière warned, "There will be no peace and security anywhere if aggressions are rewarded, and if the law of the jungle wins."
UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward emphasized the need for justice: "No one wants peace more than Ukraine, but the terms of that peace matter. Only a just peace, one that honors the terms of our charter, will endure."
Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya praised the U.S. resolution as a constructive starting point. "The text we passed is not an ideal one, but in essence, it is a first attempt to have a constructive and future-oriented product," he said.
U.S. charge d'affaires Dorothy Shea defended the approach, calling it "the first step" toward peace. "This resolution puts us on the path to peace. It is a first step, but a crucial one," she said.
However, European diplomats stressed that peace cannot come at the cost of justice. "If we are to find a path to sustainable peace, the Council must be clear on the war's origins," Woodward said. "No peace will be sustainable without Ukraine's consent."
