Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the United States has provided critical military aid amounting to at least $175 billion to support the war-torn country. Despite this assistance, Ukraine has been at odds with US interests at the United Nations, as revealed in a recent analysis of State Department data by The Post.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has led to a devastating loss of life and ongoing turmoil in the region. In response to the invasion, the US has been a major supporter of Ukraine, providing significant financial and military aid to bolster its defenses.
However, the data shows that Ukraine has voted differently from the US on a significant number of measures brought before the United Nations General Assembly. In 2022, Ukraine opposed US interests in 31% of cases, aligning more closely with other nations such as Albania, Iceland, and Micronesia.
As the conflict continued into 2023, Ukraine’s voting record improved slightly, with a 24% divergence from US positions. Despite this, Ukraine’s actions have often been in direct contradiction to US stances, particularly in volatile regions like the Middle East.
One example of this divergence occurred in October 2023 when the UN passed Resolution ES-10/21 calling for a humanitarian truce following an invasion by Hamas terrorists in Israel. While the US led a bloc of nations in opposing the resolution, Ukraine chose to abstain from voting, a decision that was repeated in a subsequent resolution demanding a ceasefire in December 2023.
In another instance, the UN voted in November 2023 to demand the US lift its trade embargo on Cuba, with only Israel and the US voting against the resolution. Once again, Ukraine abstained from taking a clear stance on the issue.
Jim Hanson, an international affairs consultant in Washington D.C., expressed his disappointment with Ukraine’s actions, stating, “I think it’s disgraceful that a country reliant on US support refuses to back our plays in the United Nations and instead chooses to align with other nations.”
Comparatively, Israel’s voting record closely mirrors that of the United States, with a voting coincidence of over 90% in both years. The upcoming release of last year’s data is eagerly awaited to assess any changes in Ukraine’s stance.
