The United States has voted alongside Russia on two separate United Nations resolutions concerning the Ukraine war, signaling a stark shift in its foreign policy under the Trump administration. The move has strained relations with key European allies, including the United Kingdom and France, both of which abstained from the Security Council vote.
As the world marked the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the UN Security Council (UNSC) each debated competing resolutions. The first, drafted by European diplomats, condemned Russia’s aggression and reaffirmed Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The second, introduced by the United States, called for an end to hostilities but omitted any direct criticism of Moscow.
During the UNGA vote, 93 countries backed the European resolution, but the United States did not merely abstain it voted against it, joining Russia, Israel, North Korea, Sudan, Belarus, Hungary, and 11 other nations. Meanwhile, 65 countries abstained. The US resolution, after being amended to include support for Ukraine, was later passed, though Washington abstained from the final vote.
The division was even more pronounced in the UN Security Council, where the US-drafted resolution containing no condemnation of Russia was passed by 10 votes. The UK, France, Denmark, Greece, and Slovenia abstained after their attempts to modify the resolution were vetoed. America’s acting UN envoy, Dorothy Camille Shea, defended the resolution as a “simple historic statement” focusing on “ending the war” rather than assigning blame.
This policy shift has heightened tensions between Washington and its European allies. French President Emmanuel Macron visited President Trump at the White House in a bid to bridge their differences over Ukraine, while British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to meet with the American leader later this week.
Since Russia’s invasion in 2022, the Security Council has been largely paralyzed by Russia’s veto power, making the General Assembly the primary platform for discussing the conflict. However, unlike UNSC resolutions, UNGA resolutions are not legally binding, limiting their impact.
The US departure from its previous strong support for Ukraine has raised concerns among European leaders about the future of transatlantic cooperation on security matters. By opposing a resolution condemning Russian aggression while pushing for a neutral stance, the Trump administration has effectively reshaped America’s role in the geopolitical landscape of the Ukraine war.
