India abstains on Ukraine resolutions as US breaks with allies

India abstained from voting on multiple resolutions and amendments concerning Ukraine at the UN General Assembly, where the United States took an unexpected stance by siding with Russia on some key votes. This shift highlighted new geopolitical realignments under President Donald Trump.

On the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Western nations pushed through two resolutions naming Moscow as the aggressor in Ukraine. However, in a surprising move, the US joined Russia in voting against a resolution proposed by Ukraine and its allies that condemned the invasion. China, meanwhile, abstained.

The resolution ultimately passed with 93 votes in favor, 18 against, and 65 abstentions. Notably, this was a significant drop from the 141 votes a similar resolution received in 2023, on which India had also abstained.

A separate US-backed resolution, which initially did not name Russia as the aggressor, was altered through amendments introduced by France’s Permanent Representative Nicolas De Rivière. The amendments, passed while French President Emmanuel Macron was visiting Washington, resulted in the resolution explicitly condemning Moscow. In response, the US abstained from its own proposal, frustrated by the changes.

The US, which is engaged in direct talks with Russia to broker a peace deal, views explicit condemnation of Moscow as counterproductive to its diplomatic efforts. President Trump recently held discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and US representatives have met with Russian officials in Riyadh to explore a resolution to the ongoing conflict, which began on February 24, 2022.

Defending the US’s decision not to assign blame, Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Washington’s proposal as “a simple, historic resolution” aimed at “charting a path to peace.” Acting US Permanent Representative Dorothy Shea reiterated this sentiment at the General Assembly, arguing that previous resolutions condemning Russia had failed to stop the war.

“This is a moment of truth — a historic moment,” Shea said. “This has never been about Ukraine alone. This resolution addresses the global impact of the war.”

Meanwhile, a Russia-backed amendment to Ukraine’s resolution that sought to include references to the “root causes” of the conflict failed, with the US abstaining. The amendment received only 31 votes in favor, while 71 voted against it and 59 abstained.

Conversely, France’s amendments to the US-backed resolution, which invoked the UN Charter and directly condemned Russia’s actions, were adopted despite opposition from both Washington and Moscow.

The voting patterns at the UN showcased shifting alliances and the complexities of the ongoing diplomatic maneuvering over Ukraine’s future.