UNITED NATIONS (AP) – The United States has exerted pressure on Ukraine to withdraw its European-backed United Nations resolution, which calls for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. Instead, the U.S. is proposing an alternative resolution that does not explicitly mention Russia's invasion. This information comes from a U.S. official and a European diplomat on Sunday.
In response, Ukraine has refused to retract its draft resolution, leading to a scheduled vote in the U.N. General Assembly on Monday, the same day that marks the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. According to two European diplomats, the General Assembly is expected to vote on both the Ukrainian resolution and the U.S. proposed draft.
The U.S. administration is also advocating for a vote on its resolution in the more influential U.N. Security Council. Notably, China, which currently holds the presidency of the Security Council, has arranged a vote on the U.S. resolution for Monday afternoon. This concurrent push for two competing resolutions underscores the ongoing tensions among the U.S., Ukraine, and European nations in the five weeks since President Donald Trump assumed office and began talks with Russia aimed at ending the conflict.
The General Assembly has emerged as the primary U.N. body addressing the situation in Ukraine, particularly because the U.N. Security Council has been rendered ineffective due to Russia's veto power. While resolutions passed by the General Assembly are not legally binding, they serve as critical barometers of international public opinion regarding the conflict.
Since Russian forces crossed into Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the General Assembly has approved numerous resolutions condemning the war and demanding the withdrawal of Russian forces. These votes have demonstrated a strong global opposition to Russia's actions, and the upcoming votes on the competing resolutions will be closely monitored to gauge any shifts in support.
One European diplomat indicated that there has been vigorous lobbying on both sides regarding the rival resolutions. A U.S. official highlighted that the U.S. is working to persuade Ukraine and European countries to abandon their draft. These discussions coincide with Trump's plans to host French President Emmanuel Macron in Washington on Monday.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that "this is the moment to commit to ending the war. This is our opportunity to build real momentum toward peace." He emphasized the aim of achieving lasting peace, maintaining that the U.S. resolution would affirm the severity of the conflict and signal that the U.N. could play a role in its resolution.
The Ukraine resolution, co-sponsored by the 27-member European Union, specifically addresses the "full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation" and emphasizes the necessity of implementing prior General Assembly resolutions related to the aggression against Ukraine. It explicitly demands that Russia "immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders" and calls for the cessation of hostilities.
Conversely, the succinct U.S. draft resolution acknowledges "the tragic loss of life throughout the Russia-Ukraine conflict" and urges for a swift conclusion to the hostilities while further calling for lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia. Notably, it does not reference Russia's invasion directly.
Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, expressed support for the U.S. resolution, labeled it "a good move," and suggested an amendment to include a phrase concerning addressing the root causes of the conflict. This amendment would modify the closing line of the U.S. resolution to read, "implores a swift end to the conflict, including by addressing its root causes, and further urges a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia."
