US Rejects Sponsorship Of UN Resolution Draft Ahead Of Russia's Three-Year Invasion Of Ukraine

JAKARTA - The United States refuses to become a joint sponsor of the United Nations' draft resolution marking three years of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, in order to support Ukraine's territorial integrity and again demand Russia withdraw its troops, three diplomatic sources told Reuters.

Washington also objected to the phrase in a statement to be issued by Group of Seven (G7) countries next week that would condemn Russian aggression, two other sources said.

The US refusal to approve a language that has been regularly used by the United Nations and the G7 since February 2022 comes amid a widening rift between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump.

President Trump sought to immediately end the war in Ukraine and sent a team to hold talks with Russia this week in Saudi Arabia without involving Kyiv.

"In previous years, the United States has consistently been a joint sponsor of these resolutions to support fair peace in Ukraine," one of the sources, who, like other sources, asked for anonymity to discuss sensitive issues, said on Thursday, quoted by Reuters on February 21.

Earlier, Ukrainian allies had used two war warnings that fell every February 24 to reiterated their condemnation of Russia's invasion. However, this year it is unclear how the United States will respond to it.

The UN draft resolution, seen by Reuters, "calls for de-escalation, an early cessation of hostilities, and a peaceful resolution of the fight against Ukraine in accordance with the UN Charter and international law".

The draft also "warns of the need for full implementation of the relevant resolutions adopted in response to aggression against Ukraine, in particular its demands that the Russian Federation immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from Ukrainian territory within internationally recognized limits".

At the United Nations, countries can decide to co-sponsor a resolution to the vote. The 193-member General Assembly will vote on Monday, diplomats said.

The General Assembly's resolution is non-binding but has political weight, reflecting a global view of the war.

The first diplomatic source told Reuters the resolution was sponsored by more than 50 countries, refusing to identify them.

A second diplomatic source who also requested anonymity said: "For now, the situation is they (US) will not sign it."

Various efforts are being made to seek support from other countries, including developing countries, the source added.

A spokesman for the US diplomatic mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland did not respond to a request for comment.

The G7 itself plans to hold a meeting on Monday, but so far the US has rejected the language of "Russian aggression".

A statement issued by the G7 foreign minister last week did not mention Russian aggression but referred to the "destroying Russian war in Ukraine".

The dispute is a major political crisis for Ukraine, which has used tens of billions of US military aid approved under the previous US Administration to deal with the Russian invasion and has also benefited from diplomatic support.