United Nations, New York – In a striking shift in foreign policy, the United States joined Russia, North Korea, Belarus, and a handful of other nations on Monday, February 24, 2025, to vote against a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. The resolution, backed by Ukraine and most European countries, passed with 93 votes in favor, 18 against, and 65 abstentions, marking the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
The European-drafted resolution demanded Russia’s immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal from Ukraine, reaffirming the U.N.’s commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. It also called for a “just, lasting, and comprehensive peace” and highlighted concerns over North Korean troops reportedly aiding Russian forces, a development that could escalate the conflict further. Despite the U.S. opposition, the resolution’s approval underscored continued global support for Ukraine, though the vote tally of 93-18-65 showed a slight dip from previous resolutions, which had garnered over 140 votes in favour.
The U.S. decision to vote alongside Russia stunned its traditional European allies and signaled a dramatic pivot under the Trump administration, which has prioritised negotiations with Moscow to end the war quickly. This move came after the U.S. proposed its own competing resolution, which avoided mentioning Russia’s aggression and instead urged a “swift end to the conflict” and a “lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia”. The U.S. draft, described by Acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea as a “simple, historic statement” focused on ending the war, was amended by European nations to include stronger language against Russia. Consequently, the U.S. abstained from voting on its own amended resolution, which passed 93-8 with 73 abstentions.
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa addressed the General Assembly before the vote, framing the resolution as a defense of the U.N. Charter and Ukraine’s inherent right to self-defense. “This is a moment of truth, not only for Ukraine but for the entire democratic world,” she said, urging nations to stand against Russia’s violation of international law. In contrast, Shea argued that previous U.N. resolutions condemning Russia had failed to stop the war, which she said “has dragged on for far too long and at far too terrible a cost”.
The U.S. stance aligns with President Donald Trump’s recent rhetoric and diplomatic efforts. Trump, who hosted French President Emmanuel Macron in Washington on Monday, has pushed for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, bypassing Ukraine and European allies in preliminary discussions. Trump has called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator,” falsely claimed Kyiv started the war, and warned Zelenskyy to negotiate quickly or risk losing U.S. support. Zelenskyy countered that Trump was operating in a “Russian-made disinformation space”.
Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia welcomed the U.S. shift, calling its resolution “a good move” and a “step in the right direction” toward a peaceful settlement. However, Russia voted against the European resolution and failed to amend the U.S. draft to include references to the conflict’s “root causes,” a narrative Putin has used to justify the invasion.
The vote exposed a deepening rift between the U.S. and its NATO allies, with Britain and France abstaining from the U.S. resolution in the U.N. Security Council later that day, where it passed 10-0-5 without amendments due to U.S.' veto power. U.K. Ambassador Barbara Woodward emphasised that sustainable peace requires Ukraine’s consent and clarity on Russia’s aggression, a point echoed by French Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere.
Analysts see this as a test of Trump’s strategy to reset U.S.-Russia relations, potentially at Ukraine’s expense. The abstentions from countries such as China, India, and much of Africa suggest a growing ambivalence toward the conflict, while the U.S.-Russia alignment has raised alarms in Europe. “This is the biggest split among Western powers at the U.N. since the Iraq War,” said Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group.
As of Tuesday, February 25, 2025, the fallout continues, with European leaders recalibrating their approach to a war now intertwined with shifting U.S. priorities. The story remains fluid as Trump prepares to meet U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer later this week, with Ukraine’s fate hanging in the balance.