A dramatic day of diplomacy at the United Nations has revealed growing divisions between the United States and its European allies, as President Donald Trump’s administration took a starkly different approach to the war in Ukraine.
Marking the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution reaffirming Ukraine’s territorial integrity and calling for Moscow’s withdrawal. However, support was weaker than in previous years, with many nations abstaining due to U.S. pressure to back an alternative measure.
Washington introduced a three-paragraph resolution that took a neutral stance on the war, avoided blaming Russia, and instead called for a swift peace. The U.S. not only pushed for its passage in the General Assembly but also in the more powerful Security Council—where Russia had previously blocked all action on Ukraine.
The move stunned European diplomats. One called the U.S. approach “bullying” and accused Washington of disregarding Europe’s security concerns. Slovenia’s UN ambassador Samuel Zbogar said the European Union must now take the lead in peace efforts, rather than reacting to U.S. decisions.
In the Security Council, European members attempted to amend the resolution to explicitly name Russia as the aggressor and reaffirm Ukraine’s borders. The U.S. opposed these changes, arguing they undermined its diplomatic efforts. Russia ultimately blocked the amendments, while the U.S.’s neutral resolution passed—marking the first official council action on Ukraine since the war began.
The unprecedented cooperation between the U.S. and Russia at the UN left many observers stunned. Richard Gowan, UN Director at the Crisis Group, noted that while Trump was expected to shake up global diplomacy, the sight of Washington aligning with Moscow to sideline Europe exceeded expectations.
“The U.S. lobbying against the European-backed resolution was crude, with officials reportedly threatening to cut aid to non-compliant states,” Gowan said. “This has left a nasty taste among many UN members.”
While the Trump administration celebrated the breakthrough, European leaders now face a new reality—one where the U.S. is no longer their strongest ally in Ukraine.
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