On February 24, 2025, the UN General Assembly adopted two resolutions addressing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, marking its third anniversary. The resolutions—proposed separately by Ukraine and the United States—both emphasized the importance of international peace and security, but took different approaches in characterizing the conflict.

The first resolution, titled “Advancing a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine” was proposed by Ukraine, alongside 52 nations. It condemned Russia’s “full-scale invasion” and called for de-escalation, cessation of hostilities, and a peaceful resolution of the war. The resolution also called for the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of unlawfully detained individuals, and adherence to international human rights and humanitarian law. The General Assembly adopted Ukraine’s resolution with 93 votes in favor, 18 against, and 65 abstentions.

The United States voted against Ukraine’s resolution and introduced its own proposal, “The Path to Peace”. This resolution reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to international peace and security through the peaceful settlement of disputes. However, it referred to the war as the “Russian Federation-Ukraine conflict” rather than an invasion.

The General Assembly and the Security Council later adopted the U.S. resolution, following the European Union proposed an amendment to explicitly referencing Russia’s invasion and affirming Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The U.S. voted against this amendment and abstained from its own resolution after the change was included.

This shift in the U.S. approach represents a significant break from its previous policy. The U.S. previously supported resolutions affirming Ukraine’s sovereignty and demanding Russia’s military withdrawal. The change followed recent talks between the U.S. and Russian officials and Trump’s remarks referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “dictator”.