US-Ukraine rift breaks out at United Nations on 3rd anniversary of the war

The U.S. is pushing United Nations (U.N.) member states to back its resolution marking the third anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war that does not underscore Kyiv’s territorial integrity. 

The U.S. draft resolution, put forward on Friday, pits the U.S. against Ukraine and its European allies, who pitched a lengthier resolution that lays blame on Russia for the invasion and demands Moscow remove its troops from Ukrainian territory. 

While the U.S. resolution mourns ‘the tragic loss of life’ throughout the conflict, it reasserts that the U.N.’s purpose is to ‘maintain international peace and peacefully settle disputes.’ It also ‘implores a swift end to the conflict and further urges a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine.’ 

‘This resolution is consistent with President Donald Trump’s view that the U.N. must return to its founding purpose, as enshrined in the U.N. Charter, to maintain international peace and security, including through the peaceful settlement of disputes,’ State Department Secretary Marco Rubio said in a statement Friday. 

‘If the United Nations is truly committed to its original purpose, we must acknowledge that while challenges may arise, the goal of lasting peace remains achievable. Through support of this resolution, we affirm that this conflict is awful, that the U.N. can help end it, and that peace is possible.’

The U.S. is pushing allies to get on board by telling them the U.S. is committed to ending the war, but Ukraine’s resolution is an impediment to lasting peace, according to a European diplomat. 

It is also urging the U.N. General Assembly to oppose any amendments, including one proposed by Russia that calls for addressing the ‘root causes’ of the Russia-Ukraine war, so the last line of the U.S. resolution would read ‘implores a swift end to the conflict, including by addressing root causes and further urges a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine.’ 

The U.S. called on Ukraine to withdraw its resolution, but it refused, according to The Associated Press. The resolutions will go up for a vote in front of the 193-nation assembly on Monday. 

‘We strongly believe that this is the moment to commit to ending the war,’ Rubio added in his Friday statement. ‘This is our opportunity to build real momentum toward peace. We urge all U.N. member states to join the United States in this solemn pursuit.’

The growing rift between the U.S. and Ukraine has been underscored by the Trump administration’s decision to exclude Ukraine and Europe from recent peace talks between Russia and the U.S. Last week, Trump warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who he has labeled a ‘dictator,’ that he ‘better move fast’ to negotiate a peace deal with Russia, or risk losing the country.

During a discussion with reporters in Kyiv on Sunday, Zelenskyy said he is prepared to ‘give up’ his presidency in exchange for either peace in Ukraine or an invitation for it to formally become a part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).   

‘If to achieve peace you really need me to give up my post — I’m ready,’ Zelenskyy said during the press conference. ‘I can trade it for NATO membership, if there are such conditions,’ he added.

However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during talks last week with the U.S. that Russia was unwilling to negotiate any path forward that includes bringing Ukraine into NATO.