The United Nations (UN) General Assembly, on Monday, rejected a U.S.-backed resolution calling for an end to the Ukraine war without acknowledging Russia’s aggression.
The assembly in a vote cast on Monday, however, backed a joint resolution submitted by Ukraine and the European Union (EU) demanding Russia’s immediate withdrawal from Ukraine.
The resolution was passed at the assembly, with 93 votes in favour while 18 countries voted against it, with 65 countries absent in the voting process.
Although General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, they serve as a measure of global sentiment.
The vote marked a setback for Trump, who had tried to pressure Ukraine to withdraw its resolution in favour of Washington’s resolution, according to AP, which cited diplomatic sources.
Considering the votes, the UN amended the U.S. resolution ahead of a final vote, making clear that Russia invaded its smaller neighbour in violation of the U.N. Charter
In the final results, 93 countries voted in favour, 8 voted against, and 73 were absent, including the US, which declined to vote.
Earlier, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa stated the country’s right to self-defence, urging nations to stand by the U.N. Charter’s principles, which she claimed Russia violated.
“As we mark three years of this devastation—Russia’s full invasion against Ukraine—we call on all nations to stand firm in our support,” she said.
Also speaking, U.S. Deputy Ambassador Dorothy Shea acknowledged that previous resolutions had failed to stop the war and called for a more sustainable approach.
“What we need is a resolution that marks the commitment of all U.N. member states to bring a durable end to the war,” she stated.
The conflicting resolutions highlight growing tensions between Washington and Kyiv following Trump’s direct negotiations with Moscow.
Ukraine and European leaders have expressed their frustrations after being excluded from initial talks that were held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Trump has since engaged in a war of words with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling him a “dictator.”
While Zelenskyy dismissed Trump’s remarks as Russian disinformation, he has continued to push for Ukraine’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).