The Kremlin has welcomed what it called a “much more balanced” US stance on Ukraine after the Trump administration pushed through a UN security council resolution on the war that included no criticism of Russia.
The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, stated that the move demonstrated Washington’s willingness to try to find a peaceful settlement. Moscow supported the resolution, which was passed late on Monday, although European countries abstained, indicating a deepening rift with Washington.
In a simple three-paragraph motion on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, the US took a neutral position on the war, calling for a “swift end” to the conflict and “lasting peace”. This marked a difference from the Biden administration’s stance, which had supported Ukraine throughout.
Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, recognized “constructive changes” in the US position on the conflict, while US allies in Europe on the 15-member council – France, Britain, Denmark, Greece, and Slovenia – abstained from the vote.
The UK’s ambassador to the UN, Barbara Woodward, stated that while London shared the “ambition to find a lasting end to this war”, there should be “no equivalence between Russia and Ukraine in how this council refers to this war”. She added that the UK regretted that their proposals making these points clear were not taken onboard, and as such, they could not support this resolution.
This was the first security council resolution to pass throughout the war, as the council had been unable to take any action due to Russia holding a veto. The US proposal did not call for a ceasefire or any concrete action. When asked if Washington was seeking “global support for vague peace”, one state department official responded, “Absolutely. That’s what the UN is all about.”
In contrast, and highlighting the US and Russia’s global isolation, the 193-member UN general assembly earlier backed a resolution drafted by Ukraine and the EU, condemning Russia. While security council resolutions are considered binding, general assembly resolutions are not. However, general assembly resolutions hold diplomatic and political gravity by showcasing the global consensus on issues.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/25/kremlin-welcomes-much-more-balanced-us-stance-ukraine
