In what appears to be a major shift in US policy, the administration of President Donald Trump Monday turned its back on its Trans-Atlantic allies and voted with Russia in a United Nations General Assembly resolution to end the Russian declared war on Ukraine.
In the third year of Russian invasion of Ukraine, the US had tabled a resolution which called for an end to the war without mentioning the Russian aggression. This was rejected by US European allies, who demanded that Russia immediately withdraw its troops; this was opposed by the US President Donald Trump’s administration.
Washington tried to pressure Kyiv into withdrawing their resolution in favour of its proposal. Ukraine refused before approving the resolution with three European-proposed amendments, adding language to the US proposal, which makes clear that Moscow invaded Kyiv in violation of the UN charter.
The amended resolution passed with 93 votes in favour, eight no votes and 73 abstentions in a setback for the Trump administration in the 193-member world body, whose resolutions are not legally binding but are viewed as an indication of world opinion.
A separate resolution drafted by Ukraine and European countries also passed with 93 votes in favour, 18 no votes and 65 abstentions. The US, along with Russia, Israel and North Korea, were among the countries that voted no.
The resolutions signalled diminishing support for Ukraine on the international level. UNGA passed Ukrainian resolutions with overwhelming majorities, seeing at times more than 140 members adopting them while condemning Russia.
Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa said her country is exercising its “inherent right to self-defence”.
