During a United Nations session commemorating the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States has, in a stunning volte-face, aligned itself with Russia twice at the UN. The US, under President Donald Trump, voted against a resolution introduced by Ukraine that called for “de-escalation, an early cessation of hostilities, and a peaceful resolution” to the war. Additionally, the US drafted and voted for a separate Security Council resolution that called for an end to the conflict but omitted any criticism of Russia — welcomed by the Kremlin as a “much more balanced” stance. This same three-paragraph resolution, however, failed to pass through the General Assembly until it was amended to include US support for Ukraine, with France proposing three amendments to categorically say that the war is a result of a “full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.” Russia voted “no” and the US had to abstain from its own resolution. It is evident that despite the seismic shifts that have brought the US and Russia closer, Europe remains resolute in its support for Ukraine. It is obvious, too, that arriving at a peace agreement acceptable to all parties will take a lot more time and effort and negotiation than the flick-of-a-pen approach that Trump appears to favour.
The US stance at the UN displays Trump’s determination to foster closer ties with a Vladimir Putin-led Russia. Apart from the US, countries voting against the resolution included outliers to the global mainstream like North Korea, Iran, and Belarus. Those supporting the resolution included Germany, the United Kingdom, France and even Italy, despite its right-wing government under Giorgia Meloni. The US was the only G7 nation to oppose the resolution, putting it at odds with its traditional European allies — even as French President Emmanuel Macron in Washington warned the US president against a “surrender” of Ukraine. Trump said on Monday that he hopes for “major economic development transactions with Russia”, while Putin has offered to sell Russia’s rare earth minerals to American companies, including those in occupied Ukrainian territories. Potential business ties amid a larger US-Russia detente mark a fundamental transformation in the global order with Ukraine at its centre.
