NEW DELHI: In a surprising turn of events, the United States joined Russia in voting against a United Nations General Assembly resolution aimed at de-escalating the Ukraine war. This marks the first time since the conflict began that the US has aligned with Russia on such a vote, signaling a significant shift in its stance.
Details of the Resolution and Voting Outcome
The resolution, titled “Advancing a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine,” was tabled by Ukraine and its European allies. It called for an early cessation of hostilities and a peaceful resolution to the conflict, which has caused immense destruction and human suffering. The resolution was adopted with 93 votes in favor, 65 abstentions, and 18 votes against.
India, along with China, Brazil, and several other countries, abstained from the vote. India’s stance remains consistent, advocating for dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward. This abstention reflects India’s delicate balancing act between its strategic partners on both sides of the conflict.
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Trump’s Remarks on Zelensky
Adding to the controversy, Trump called Zelensky a “modestly successful comedian” and mocked him as a “dictator without elections.” He even issued an ultimatum to Zelensky to “move fast” or lose his country. This follows Trump’s blame on Kyiv for starting the war with Russia. U.S. envoys met Russian officials in Riyadh to work towards ending the war, excluding Ukraine and its European allies from the peace talks.
German Chancellor Scholz called Trump’s remarks “wrong and dangerous,” emphasizing Zelensky’s status as Ukraine’s elected head of state. Trump’s comments have been criticized for echoing Russian propaganda and undermining Ukraine’s democratic legitimacy.
Reporter: You called Zelenskyy a dictator. Would you use the same words regarding Putin?
Trump: Uhhh I don’t use those words lightly pic.twitter.com/jg0yDGSwc9
— Acyn (@Acyn) February 24, 2025
When asked if he would use the same “dictator” description for Putin, Trump told reporters, “I don’t use those words lightly. I think that we’re going to see how it all works out. Let’s see what happens. I think we have a chance of a really good settlement between various countries.”
“And you know, you’re talking about Europe, and you’re talking about Ukraine as part of that whole situation, the other side has a lot of support also. So, let’s see how it all works out,” he continued.
Impact on US-European Relations
The US’s decision to vote against the resolution has strained its relations with European allies, who overwhelmingly supported the resolution.
This move is seen as a departure from the US’s previous alignment with Europe on the Ukraine issue and has raised concerns about the future of transatlantic unity.
This development has left many European leaders concerned about being sidelined in the peace talks.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas emphasized the need for Europe’s involvement, warning that any agreement without European participation would fail.
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The Kremlin, meanwhile, has expressed its approval of the US’s new stance.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that there is political will on both the Russian and US sides to find a peaceful settlement to the conflict.
However, he also noted that Ukraine would be involved in the negotiations, albeit with a separate US-Russian dialogue strand.
As the conflict continues, the international community remains divided on the best path to peace, with the US’s recent actions adding a new layer of complexity to the ongoing crisis.
