India Calls for Balanced Diplomacy as US and Russia Recalibrate Ties on Ukraine

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): In a significant shift, the United States and Russia were seen standing together on a resolution presented in the United Nations regarding the Ukraine war. This marks the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine three years ago that the US has opposed a draft resolution brought forward on behalf of Ukraine.

The resolution called for the withdrawal of military forces, cessation of hostilities, and a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict. While European nations and the G7 members—except for the US—voted in favor of the resolution, leading to its approval, India and China abstained from the vote.

Out of 193 member states, 93 countries, including Germany, Britain, France, and the G7 (excluding the US), supported the resolution. Meanwhile, 18 nations, including Russia, the US, Israel, and Hungary, voted against it, while 65 countries, including India, China, and Brazil, chose not to participate.

Notably, this marks a departure from the US's previous stance, as it had consistently aligned with European nations on the Russia-Ukraine conflict over the past three years. This shift suggests a growing divergence between the US and its European allies, indicating a potential change in American foreign policy.

The resolution, approved by the UN General Assembly, reiterated the demand for an immediate withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukraine as the war entered its third year. While General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they are considered a reflection of global opinion. In previous votes, over 140 countries had condemned Russia’s military actions and called for an end to its occupation of four Ukrainian regions.