In an unprecedented shift from its traditional foreign policy, the United States voted against a United Nations resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, aligning itself with Moscow for the first time since the war began. The resolution, overwhelmingly backed by most of Europe, called for Russia’s withdrawal from Ukrainian territory and reiterated Ukraine’s sovereignty.

The vote, held at the UN General Assembly on Monday, saw 93 nations supporting the resolution, 18 opposing it—including the US, Russia, Israel, and North Korea—while 65 countries, including India, abstained. This voting pattern reflects a notable change in geopolitical alignments, raising eyebrows worldwide.

The resolution, which marked three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, expressed deep concern over the war’s lasting consequences on global stability. It called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a peaceful resolution, emphasizing the inviolability of Ukraine’s borders.

Notably, the US also abstained from voting on its own competing resolution after European nations, led by France, amended it to explicitly label Russia as the aggressor. The US-drafted resolution, in its amended form, reaffirmed Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, ultimately passing with 93 votes in favor, 73 abstentions, and eight opposing votes.

Russia attempted to modify the US resolution to include references to the "root causes" of the conflict but failed. Meanwhile, the lower-than-usual support for Ukraine—compared to past resolutions where over 140 nations condemned Russia—suggests a subtle shift in global sentiment towards the war.

At the UN Security Council, where resolutions carry legal weight, the US pushed for a vote on its original draft, which was adopted after Russia vetoed European nations' proposed amendments.