The Trump administration joined Russia and North Korea in opposing a United Nations resolution that blamed Moscow for invading Ukraine as peace negotiations take priority.
According to Fox News, the United States voted against the Europe-backed Ukrainian resolution at the UN General Assembly while pursuing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict that has raged for three years.
The resolution, which ultimately passed with 93 votes in favor, 18 against, and 65 abstentions, demanded the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory. The voting occurred on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion and coincided with French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Washington for talks with President Donald Trump.
The United States later abstained from voting on its own competing resolution after European nations, led by France, successfully amended it to specifically identify Russia as the aggressor. This modified version passed with 93 supporting votes, though the U.S. chose not to participate in the voting.
The American-drafted resolution acknowledged "the tragic loss of life throughout the Russia-Ukraine conflict" and urged a swift end to hostilities but notably omitted any explicit mention of Russian aggression. France proposed three amendments that significantly altered the text to include references to Russia's "full-scale invasion of Ukraine" and reaffirmed Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
U.S. deputy ambassador Dorothy Shea defended the administration's position, noting that previous UN resolutions condemning Russia and demanding troop withdrawals "have failed to stop the war," which has continued "for far too long and at far too terrible a cost to the people in Ukraine and Russia and beyond."
President Trump hinted at potential breakthrough developments during his meeting with President Macron at the White House, where they participated in a call with Group of Seven (G7) leaders about the conflict.
Trump expressed optimism about recent diplomatic efforts, telling reporters while seated next to the French president:
President Macron is a very special man in my book. We were together. We did it together. And I think a lot of progress has been made. We've had some very good talks with Russia. We've had some very good talks with others and we're trying to get the war ended with Russia and Ukraine.
The president also suggested a possible meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy focused on ending the conflict, though no specific details were provided about when such talks might occur.
The U.S. later pushed for a vote on its original draft resolution in the more powerful UN Security Council, where resolutions carry legal force. The vote in the 15-member council was 10-0, with five European countries—Britain, France, Denmark, Greece and Slovenia—abstaining from the process.
The United States' unexpected alignment with Russia and North Korea on the General Assembly vote represents a significant departure from previous U.S. positions on the Ukraine conflict. This strategic shift highlights the Trump administration's prioritization of negotiated settlements over continued condemnation.
Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya welcomed the American initiative, describing it as "a step in the right direction, a common-sense initiative which reflects the will of the new administration in the White House to really contribute to the peaceful settlement in the conflict." Most U.S. allies, including Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, and most European nations except Hungary, supported both assembly resolutions despite America's opposition to the first measure.
The Trump administration opposed a United Nations resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine while working on a diplomatic solution to the three-year conflict. The U.S., along with Russia and North Korea, voted against the Europe-backed Ukrainian resolution at the UN General Assembly. Despite this, the measure passed with 93 votes in favor of the invasion’s third anniversary. During a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Washington, President Trump expressed optimism about peace efforts.
