A forthright effort by the U.S. to reshape debate at the UN on the third anniversary of Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine has sparked European consternation and shone a light on shifting global attitudes toward the war. Rather than work with Ukraine and the European Union to draft a resolution marking the anniversary – as President Joe Biden’s administration had done in the past – President Donald Trump’s new administration attempted to stop Kyiv from tabling a text at the UN. Instead, Washington used the opportunity to present its own proposal for peace talks, which, in sharp contrast to previous UN resolutions, mentioned neither Russia’s aggression nor Ukraine’s sovereignty. While Ukraine and its European allies fought to stymie Washington’s initiative, many non-Western members of the UN chose to keep a low profile to avoid alienating either side, unlike during the war’s first phase, when an embattled Ukraine was able to draw on considerable support from around the world. The episode seems likely to presage further trouble ahead at the UN over Ukraine and other issues. […]
It is plain that U.S. lobbying in the run-up to the votes was aggressive; in some cases, U.S. officials warned countries that they would endanger bilateral assistance from Washington if they voted the wrong way. A handful of UN members that are highly susceptible to U.S. pressure, such as Palau and the Marshall Islands, switched from sponsoring the Ukrainian-EU draft to voting against it on 24 February. Rumours swirled about various aspects of the process, including whether France and the UK had contemplated casting their vetoes in the Security Council (something neither has done since 1989). One conclusion all can agree on is that relations between the U.S. and European countries are in very public disarray. Läs artikel