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An American resolution demanding a “rapid end” of the Ukraine war passed to the UN Security Council with the support of Moscow and Beijing with a vote that made the last blow to Western unity during Donald Trump’s presidency.
France and the United Kingdom did not veto the mass, which did not mention Russia’s aggression or Ukraine’s territorial integrity, but they abstained after failing in a recent attempt to delay the final vote.
Voting emphasized that the transatlantic alliance that has supported European security since the end of World War II has begun to break down as the US president takes a transactional approach to foreign policy.
It marks a harsh contrast with the administration of Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, who made a Western attempt to freeze Russia from the global economy in retaliation for its full -scale occupation of Ukraine three years ago.
European capitals were armored this month by Trump starting with bilateral talks with Moscow. He has also blamed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the three-year conflict in recent days and called for elections to be held in the country.
Shelby Magid, Deputy Director of the Eurasia Center of the Atlantic Council, said the abstention for voting from France, the United Kingdom and other European countries indicated that the US and its allies would have to make an effort to find common ground .
She added that even if the vote did not score a complete break between Washington and Europe, the symbolism was clear.
“It is amazing to see the SH.BA on the same side as these places we show as on this aggressor axis,” Magid said.
Earlier Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron met Trump at the White House and pushed him to pledge “military reserve” for European troops that could be deployed as a peacekeeper in Ukraine if a ceasefire was reached.
When asked if European troops would have American support, Trump said: “We will have some kind support. Of course, European countries will be included. I don’t think you will need a lot of support.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will also meet Trump in Washington this week in an attempt to ease tensions over Ukraine and advise on US efforts to end the war.
In another sign of the rapid approach between the US and Russia, Trump on Monday said he was open to establish a “economic” agreement with the country’s president, Vladimir Putin, adding that both countries had held “many talks good ”for the end of the war in Ukraine.
Senior US officials and Russians met in Riyadh last week to hold talks on normalizing relationships and ways to end the Ukraine war. Kyiv was excluded from the discussions.
The transfer of the US measure to the Security Council marked a shift in the long -held UN stance on war. Since 2022, the body has supported Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, noting Moscow’s aggression.
She has also called for Russian forces to withdraw immediately from Ukraine.
The latest US resolution did not include the language for this purpose, despite the efforts of France, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Greece and Slovenia to include it. US officials said they were mainly focused on taking their measure through the Security Council on Monday.
“This resolution puts us on the path of peace. It is a first step, but an important one, one of which we should all be proud of, ”US representative for KB, Dorothy Shea told.” Now we must use it to build a peaceful future for Ukraine, Russia and the international community. ”
France’s representative, Nicolas de Rivière, explaining his decision to abstain, said: “There will be no peace and security anywhere if aggressions are rewarded, and if the jungle law wins.”
Russia’s ambassador to UN Vasily Nebenzya pointed to the US “constructive changes” in its position for Ukraine. He said Monday’s resolution was “just a starting point for future efforts towards the peaceful solution.”
Earlier on Monday, Ukraine and its European allies passed a resolution at the UN General Assembly, which included the condemnation of Russia’s war in Ukraine. The US and Russia both voted against him.
Additional reporting by Leila Abboud in Paris and Max Seddon in Berlin
