In a major policy shift, the United States of America broke from its allies to side with Russia during the voting on two UN Security Council resolutions related to Ukraine war. This shows US President Donald Trump’s focus on mending ties with Russia and ending the Ukraine war at the earliest. While the US joined Russia to vote against a resolution put forward by Ukraine and Western nations condemning Russia’s invasion, India and China abstained from the voting.
On the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Western nations challenged Trump by passing two resolutions naming Moscow as the aggressor in Ukraine. The resolution was adopted with 93 votes in favor, 18 against, and 65 abstentions—significantly lower than the 141 votes a similar resolution received in 2023 amid rising tensions.
A U.S.-sponsored resolution that initially did not name Russia as the invader was strategically amended by Western nations to explicitly label Moscow as the aggressor. Frustrated by the changes introduced by France’s Permanent Representative Nicolas De Riviere—while President Emmanuel Macron was in Washington to meet Trump—the U.S. ultimately abstained from its own proposal.
The US, which is directly discussing with Russia a peace deal for Ukraine, views the condemnation of Moscow as interfering with its initiative. Trump spoke with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and his representatives met with Moscow in Riyadh to explore a way to end the war that began on February 24, 2022, and has devasted Ukraine and taken a toll on Russia also.
Justifying not assigning blame, Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday called it “a simple, historic resolution” to “chart a path to peace”.
Repeating that at the Assembly, acting US Permanent Representative Dorothy Shea said the previous resolutions that condemned Russia resolutions “have failed to stop the war”.
The US resolution “looks forward, not backwards”, she said, “This is a moment of truth — a historic moment”. “This has never been about Ukraine” and the resolution will address the global impact of war”, she said. The Russia-sponsored amendment to Ukraine’s resolution to insert “root causes” of the conflict failed with the US abstaining, getting only 31 votes, while 71 voted against it and 59 abstained.
The France-sponsored amendments to the US invoking the UN Charter and condemning Russia’s invasion were adopted turning it on its head despite Washington’s and Moscow’s negative votes.
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