Is the United States together with Russia? How the UN General Assembly voted on resolutions on Russia’s war against Ukraine
25 February 2025 01:03
on February 24, 2025, the UN General Assembly considered and adopted two resolutions on Russia’s war against Ukraine, one by Ukraine and one by the United States. Both documents were supported by most countries, but the voting results showed the diplomatic isolation of some states. This became known from the UN General Assembly meeting broadcast by Suspilne, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
Ukrainian resolution: who supported and who voted against it
The resolution, initiated by Kyiv and supported by the EU countries, condemns Russian aggression and demands the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine. The document reaffirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, emphasizes the need to exchange prisoners of war and return deported civilians, including children.
93 countries voted in favor of this version of the resolution, 18 voted against, and 65 abstained. The list of countries that refused to support the document included the United States, Israel, Hungary, Russia, Belarus, Niger, Mali, Sudan, Nicaragua, and Eritrea. This vote caused a stir in diplomatic circles, as the United States was in the same group as Russia and its allies.
The American resolution “Road to Peace” and its final version
An alternative resolution was proposed by the United States. It contained general language about the need to end the war and maintain international peace.
The initial short draft of the U.S. resolution only expressed sorrow over the “tragic loss of life during the Russian-Ukrainian conflict” and called for “a swift end to the conflict and a further call for a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia.”
However, the final text was amended to clearly outline Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and reaffirm Ukraine’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
The amended document was supported by 93 countries, with 8 voting against and 73 abstentions.
In an unexpected twist, the United States abstained from voting on its own amended resolution.
The Russian amendment failed
Russia attempted to introduce its own amendment to the US resolution, adding language about “addressing the root causes of the conflict.” However, this initiative was not supported, and most countries rejected the Russian proposal.
What do the voting results mean?
Although UN General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they demonstrate the international position on the war in Ukraine. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga noted that the results of the vote confirm the broad support for Ukraine.
“Despite all the obstacles, Ukrainian diplomacy has proved its ability to defend principles and truth. We are also grateful to our European partners for their effective cooperation. Today’s vote showed the new strength of Europe and all our allies who respect international law and the UN Charter,” Sibiga wrote on Facebook.
