US sides with Russia in UN resolutions on Ukraine

The United States recently aligned with Russia in two significant votes at the United Nations, marking the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This move highlights a shift in US foreign policy under the Trump administration.

First, the US opposed a European-drafted resolution condemning Russia's actions and affirming Ukraine's territorial integrity. In this vote at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the US sided with Russia, as well as countries like North Korea and Belarus.

Later, the US proposed and supported a resolution at the UN Security Council calling for an end to the conflict, but it did not include any criticism of Russia. While the resolution passed, key US allies, the UK and France, abstained after their attempts to amend its wording were blocked.

These UN resolutions were discussed during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to President Donald Trump at the White House, aimed at addressing their differences over the war. The US's new position has shaken the transatlantic alliance, with the Trump administration favoring Moscow and raising doubts about America’s commitment to European security.

This shift was evident at the UNGA, where US diplomats promoted a resolution that merely mourned the loss of life in the "Russia-Ukraine conflict" and called for a swift resolution. In contrast, European diplomats presented a more comprehensive text that condemned Russia’s invasion and supported Ukraine’s sovereignty. The European resolution passed with 93 votes, but the US voted against it, joining Russia, Israel, North Korea, Sudan, Belarus, Hungary, and others. A total of 65 countries abstained.

The US resolution also passed, but only after it was amended to include language supporting Ukraine, leading to a US abstention.

Republican Senator John Curtis expressed deep concern, noting that the vote placed the US on the same side as Russia and North Korea, a stance he described as a "dramatic shift" from American ideals of freedom and democracy. Former Speaker of the US House Nancy Pelosi echoed this sentiment, stating that the vote contradicted America's long-standing support for democracy.

Ukraine’s former economy minister, Tymofiy Mylovanov, argued that the US’s choice to side with Russia was deliberate, stressing that this was no longer just political rhetoric but a clear shift in stance.