The United States is refraining from co-sponsoring a draft United Nations resolution marking three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which reaffirms Kyiv’s territorial integrity and calls for Moscow’s withdrawal, according to three diplomatic sources cited by Reuters. This decision could signal a significant shift in the stance of Ukraine’s most influential Western ally.
Countries have until the vote to decide whether to co-sponsor the resolution. The 193-member U.N. General Assembly is set to vote on the measure Monday, diplomats said. While General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they carry political significance by reflecting global sentiment on the war.
"In previous years, the United States has consistently co-sponsored such resolutions in support of a just peace in Ukraine," one diplomatic source said on Thursday, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the issue.
The first source noted that over 50 countries are sponsoring the resolution but declined to name them. A second diplomatic source, who also requested anonymity, confirmed that, as of now, Washington has not signed on. Efforts are underway to gather broader support, including from nations in the Global South, the source added.
A spokesperson for the U.S. diplomatic mission to the United Nations in Geneva did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The vote comes amid growing tensions between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and U.S. President Donald Trump, who has sought to hasten an end to the conflict. Trump’s team has reportedly engaged in discussions with Russian officials without Kyiv’s involvement, deepening concerns about U.S. policy toward Ukraine.
For Ukraine, the dispute represents a major diplomatic challenge. The country has relied heavily on U.S. military aid—tens of billions of dollars approved under the previous administration—to resist Russia’s invasion. Diplomatic backing from Washington has also been crucial in rallying international support.
The draft resolution, reviewed by Reuters, calls for a "de-escalation, an early cessation of hostilities, and a peaceful resolution of the war against Ukraine ... in line with the U.N. Charter and international law." It also reiterates past U.N. demands for Russia to "immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders."
Russia currently occupies approximately 20% of Ukraine and continues to make incremental territorial gains in the east. Moscow justifies its actions by claiming it is responding to a security threat posed by Ukraine’s push for NATO membership. However, Kyiv and its Western allies dismiss this, describing Russia’s invasion as an imperialist land grab.
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