A joint statement by Ukraine and the EU condemning Russia received backing from only 36 of the 193 UN member states, according to recent developments at the United Nations. The document, presented by EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga, labeled Russia’s actions toward Ukraine as a “blatant violation of the UN Charter” and urged global pressure on Moscow while advocating for Ukraine’s “territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.”
The statement was endorsed by 26 EU members, excluding Hungary, alongside Albania, Andorra, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. However, the US chose to abstain from supporting the measure. Earlier in February, a similar resolution drafted by Kiev 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 and instead called for an “end” to the conflict.
Moscow’s deputy envoy to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, criticized the outcome as a victory for “common sense,” claiming that growing awareness of the “true colors of the Zelenskiy regime” shaped global perspectives. The Kremlin has consistently framed the Ukraine conflict as a Western-backed proxy war and reiterated conditions for peace: Kiev’s renunciation of claims to five regions annexed by Russia, reaffirmation of neutrality, and guarantees for Russian-speaking populations.
