UN battle: Europe beats US over rival Ukraine war resolutions

The United States has failed to get the UN General Assembly to approve its resolution urging an end to the war without mentioning Moscow's aggression.

However, the assembly on Monday approved a duelling European-backed Ukrainian resolution on Monday demanding Russia immediately withdraw from Ukraine.

It marks a setback for the Trump administration in the 193-member world body, whose resolutions are not legally binding but are seen as a barometer of world opinion.

But it also shows some diminished support for Ukraine, whose resolution passed 93-18, with 65 abstentions.

That’s lower than previous votes, which saw over 140 nations condemn Russia’s aggression.

The United States had tried to pressure the Ukrainians to withdraw their resolution in favour of its proposal, according to a US official and a European diplomat who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the talks were private.

They refused, and then the assembly added language to the US proposal making clear that Russia invaded its smaller neighbour in violation of the UN Charter.

The vote on the amended US resolution was 93-8 with 73 abstentions, with Ukraine voting "yes," the US abstaining and Russia voting "no."

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa said her country is exercising its “inherent right to self-defence” following Russia’s war, which violates the UN Charter’s requirement that countries respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other nations.

“As we mark three years of this devastation — Russia’s full invasion against Ukraine — we call on all nations to stand firm and to take … the side of the Charter, the side of humanity and the side of just and lasting peace, peace through strength,” she said.

'A good move'

The duelling proposals reflect the tensions that have emerged between the US and Ukraine after President Donald Trump suddenly opened negotiations with Russia in a bid to quickly resolve the conflict.

It also underscores the strain in the transatlantic alliance with Europe over the Trump administration’s extraordinary turnaround in engagement with Moscow.

European leaders were dismayed that they and Ukraine were left out of preliminary talks last week.

The US also wanted a vote on its proposal in the more powerful UN Security Council. China, which holds the council presidency this month, has scheduled it for Monday afternoon.

Russia's UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, told reporters last week that the US resolution was “a good move.”

The European resolution, meanwhile, refers to "the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation" and recalls the need to implement all previous assembly resolutions "adopted in response to the aggression against Ukraine."

It singles out the assembly’s demand that Russia "immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders."