US wants Security Council vote first on Ukraine in UN duel with Europe

UNITED NATIONS: The United States wants the UN Security Council to vote on a brief draft resolution marking the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Monday before the 193-member General Assembly votes on the same text, diplomats said on Saturday.

The US move at the UN pits it against Ukraine and the European Union, which have for the past month been negotiating with UN member states on their own draft text on the war, which is due to be voted on by the General Assembly on Monday.

On Thursday, Reuters reported that the US had declined to co-sponsor the text drafted by Ukraine and the EU. Then on Friday, Washington proposed its own resolution for a General Assembly vote on Monday as well. Late on Friday, the US also gave the same draft resolution to the Security Council.

A Security Council vote on the US draft has not yet been scheduled, diplomats said. A council resolution needs at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes by the United States, Russia, China, Britain or France to be adopted.

The US push for UN action comes after President Donald Trump launched a bid to broker an end to the war, sparking a rift with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and raising concerns among European allies that they could be cut out of peace talks.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the draft UN resolution reflected Trump’s view that the UN must return to its founding purpose to maintain international peace and security, including through the peaceful settlement of disputes.

“Through support of this resolution, we affirm that this conflict is awful, that the UN can help end it, and that peace is possible,” he said in a statement. “This is our opportunity to build real momentum toward peace. We urge all UN member states to join the United States in this solemn pursuit.”

The US text mourns the loss of life during the “Russia-Ukraine conflict” and reiterates “that the principal purpose of the United Nations is to maintain international peace and security and to peacefully settle disputes”. It also “implores a swift end to the conflict and further urges a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia”.

Russia has proposed an amendment to that line - to be voted on by the General Assembly - so it reads “implores a swift end to the conflict, including by addressing its root causes, and further urges a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia”.

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia described the US draft as a “good move”.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Saturday appeared to criticise Russia’s bid to amend the US draft.

“The root causes of this war are (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s denial of Ukraine’s right to exist and his wish to destroy our nation,” he posted on X. “This is why Russia started this war, commits atrocities, and tries to change borders by force.”

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, calling it a “special military operation” designed to “denazify” its neighbour and halt dangerous Nato expansion to the east.

The UN text drafted by Ukraine and the EU “reiterates the urgent need to end the war this year, and to redouble diplomatic efforts to reduce the risks of further escalation and achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine”.