U.S. Suffers Diplomatic Setback at the United Nations
On Monday, the United Nations General Assembly voted on a resolution opposed by the United States, calling for Russia to immediately withdraw its forces from Ukraine on the third anniversary of the invasion. This marked a diplomatic defeat for President Donald Trump’s administration, which had initiated a rapprochement with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The vote coincided with strong European Union support for Kyiv on the invasion’s third anniversary.
A majority of 93 out of the UN’s 193 member states voted in favor of the non-binding but symbolically significant resolution, drafted by Ukraine, demanding the immediate withdrawal of all Russian forces. Only 18 countries opposed the resolution, while 65 abstained. Previous similar resolutions had garnered support from over 140 nations. The 27 EU member states co-sponsored the Ukrainian resolution.
In contrast, the U.S.-backed counter-resolution, which avoided mentioning “Russian aggression,” received only 31 votes, failing to pass. A U.S. official and a European diplomat separately reported that the U.S. had pressured Ukraine to withdraw its resolution in favor of Washington’s proposal, but Ukraine declined the offer, according to two European diplomats.
The brief American resolution acknowledged the “tragic loss of life throughout the conflict between Russia and Ukraine,” called for a “swift end to the conflict,” and urged a “lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia”—without ever mentioning the word “invasion.”
