U.S. and Europe Clash Over U.N. Resolutions on Russia-Ukraine War Amid Diplomatic Tensions

NEW YORK —In the lead-up to a significant vote on Monday, the United States engaged in extensive lobbying efforts across the globe, urging countries to reject a resolution presented by Ukraine and European nations at the United Nations General Assembly. This resolution marked the third anniversary of the ongoing war in Ukraine, while the U.S. sought support for its own draft.

However, the situation shifted when European nations gained backing for three amendments to the U.S. resolution. Consequently, the Trump administration was compelled to abstain from its own proposal.

The amendments made key changes to the original text, replacing references to “the Russian Federation-Ukraine conflict” with “the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.” Additionally, the amendments reaffirmed Ukraine’s territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders and altered the description of a “lasting peace” to a “just, lasting and comprehensive peace,” in accordance with the U.N. Charter and the principles of sovereign equality and territorial integrity of states.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea expressed discontent regarding the amendments, stating, “These amendments pursue a war of words rather than an end to the war. The attempt to add this language detracts from what we are trying to achieve with this forward-looking resolution, which is a firm consensus from the members of this body to unite behind a resolution calling for the end to this conflict.”

Despite the absence of U.S. support, the revised resolution was adopted by the U.N. General Assembly, receiving 93 votes in favor, 8 against, and 73 abstentions. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s own resolution, co-sponsored by European nations, also passed with 93 votes in favor, 18 against, and 65 abstentions. The U.S. was among the 18 nations that opposed this resolution, alongside Russia, North Korea, Belarus, while China remained with the group of 65 abstentions.

An internal memo circulated to all U.S. diplomatic posts on Saturday directed the heads of missions to engage host governments at high levels, urging support for the U.S. resolution and encouraging Ukraine to withdraw its own proposal, which the U.S. claimed did not align with its goal of achieving lasting peace.

Later in the day, the U.S. planned to present its resolution again at the U.N. Security Council, where it could veto any amendments proposed by other member states. U.S. diplomats were instructed to encourage nations to oppose a proposed Russian amendment to the U.S. resolution, which sought to address the “root causes” of the conflict.

Ukraine’s resolution, introduced last week, called for the immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory within its internationally recognized borders. The U.S. does not support this demand, with Trump administration officials suggesting that Ukraine may need to concede some territory as part of any peace agreement. Additionally, Ukraine’s resolution explicitly refers to the ongoing conflict as a “war,” a term that the U.S. resolution notably omits and one that Russia has avoided using since its invasion in 2022.

“President Trump is committed to ending the Russia-Ukraine war and achieving a resolution that leads to lasting peace, not just a temporary pause,” stated Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday. “The United States has proposed a simple, historic resolution in the United Nations that we urge all member states to support in order to chart a path to peace.”