UN vote to demand Russian troops leave Ukraine, US seeks softer approach

On the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the UN General Assembly is expected to vote Monday on duelling resolutions Ukraine's European-backed proposal demanding an immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from the country and a US call for a swift end to the war that never mentions Moscow's aggression.

The United States pressured the Ukrainians to withdraw their nonbinding resolution in favour of its proposal, a US official and a European diplomat said Sunday. But Ukraine refused, and it will be put to a vote in the 193-nation assembly, two European diplomats said. All spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were private.

It's a reflection of the tensions that have emerged between the US and Ukraine after President Donald Trump suddenly opened negotiations with Russia in a bid to quickly resolve the conflict. It also underscores the strain in the transatlantic alliance with Europe over the Trump administration's extraordinary turnaround on engagement with Moscow. European leaders were dismayed that they and Ukraine were left out of preliminary talks last week.

In escalating rhetoric, Trump has called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a dictator," falsely accused Kyiv of starting the war and warned that he better move fast to negotiate an end to the conflict or risk not having a nation to lead. Zelenskyy responded by saying Trump was living in a Russian-made disinformation space.

Since then, the Trump administration not only declined to endorse Ukraine's UN resolution, but at the last minute proposed its own competing resolution and pressed its allies to support that version instead. It comes as Trump plans to host French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday in Washington.

The US also wanted a vote on its proposal in the more powerful UN Security Council. China, which holds the council presidency this month, has scheduled it for Monday afternoon.

The General Assembly has become the most important UN body on Ukraine because the 15-member Security Council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, has been paralysed by Russia's veto power.

There are no vetoes in the assembly, and the Ukraine resolution, which is co-sponsored by all 27 members of the European Union, is almost certain to be adopted. Its votes are closely watched as a barometer of world opinion, but the resolutions passed there are not legally binding, unlike those adopted by the Security Council.

Since Russia forces stormed across the border on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Assembly has approved half a dozen resolutions that have condemned Moscow's invasion and demanded the immediate pullout of Russian troops.

The votes on the rival resolutions which have sparked intense lobbying and arm-twisting, one European diplomat said will be closely watched to see if that support has waned and to assess the backing for Trump's effort to negotiate an end to the fighting.

The very brief US draft resolution acknowledges the tragic loss of life throughout the Russia-Ukraine conflict and implores a swift end to the conflict and further urges a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia. It never mentions Moscow's invasion.

Russia's UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, told reporters last week that the US resolution was a good move.

The Ukraine's resolution, meanwhile, refers to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation and recalls the need to implement all previous assembly resolutions adopted in response to the aggression against Ukraine.

It singles out the assembly's demand that Russia immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.

It stresses that any involvement of North Korean troops fighting alongside Russia's forces raises serious concerns regarding further escalation of this conflict.

The resolution reaffirms the assembly's commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and also "that no territorial acquisition resulting from the threat or use of force shall be recognised as legal.

It calls for a de-escalation, an early cessation of hostilities and a peaceful resolution of the war against Ukraine and it reiterates the urgent need to end the war this year.