Ukraine Scores Diplomatic Win With Passage Of Resolutions At UN

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service February 25, 2025

The United States on February 24 split with its European allies at the United Nations by rejecting wording that blamed Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in resolutions seeking an end to the war.

In a major shift of its position on the conflict, the U.S. joined Russia and Belarus in the UN General Assembly in the voting against a Europe-backed Ukrainian resolution that calls out Moscow's aggression. The vote was 93-18 with 65 abstentions.

The U.S. then abstained from voting on its own competing resolution after language was added making clear that Russia invaded its smaller neighbor in violation of the UN Charter. The vote on that resolution in the 193-nation world body was 93-8 with 73 abstentions. Ukraine voted yes and Russia voted no.

The United States sided with Russia a second time when it pushed for a vote on its original draft resolution in the UN Security Council. The vote in the 15-member council was 10-0 with five European countries -- Britain, France, Denmark, Greece, and Slovenia -- abstaining.

Resolutions passed by the General Assembly are not legally binding but are a closely watched way to gauge world opinion. Those passed by the UN Security Council are legally binding.

The divide represented a dramatic shift in transatlantic relations under President Donald Trump and follows his decision to open direct negotiations with Russia on ending the war in Ukraine without representatives of Ukraine and Europe at the table.

The votes also reflect tensions between Washington and Kyiv after Trump last week called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a "dictator" for not holding elections during wartime and falsely accused Kyiv of starting the war.

The U.S.-drafted resolution acknowledged "the tragic loss of life throughout the Russia-Ukraine conflict" and called for "a swift end to the conflict and further urges a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia" but didn't mentions Moscow's aggression.

In a surprise move, France proposed three amendments and was backed by more than European countries. One of the amendments added that the conflict was the result of a "full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation."

In the Security Council, Russia used its veto to prevent any changes to the U.S. resolution.

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa said her country is exercising its "inherent right to self-defense" following Russia's invasion. She told the General Assembly that the way Russian aggression is answered "will define the future of Ukraine...Europe and our common future."

As Ukraine marked the anniversary of the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv calls on all nations "to stand firm and to take...the side of the Charter, the side of humanity and the side of just and lasting peace, peace through strength," she said.

U.S. Deputy Ambassador Dorothy Shea said multiple UN resolutions condemning Russia and demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops "have failed to stop the war," which "has now dragged on for far too long and at far too terrible a cost to the people in Ukraine and Russia and beyond."

"What we need is a resolution marking the commitment from all UN member states to bring a durable end to the war," Shea said.

Shea called it "a first step, but a crucial one," saying it "puts us on the path to peace."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-general- assembly-united-nations-russia-resolutions/33326888.html

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Ukraine Scores Diplomatic Win With Passage Of Resolutions At UN