US wants UN Security Council to vote first on Ukraine on Monday, say diplomats

The United States wants the UN Security Council to vote on a brief draft resolution marking the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Monday before the 193-member General Assembly votes on the same text, diplomats said on Saturday.

The US move at the UN pits it against Ukraine and the European Union, who have for the past month been negotiating with UN member states on their own draft text on the war, which is due to be voted on by the General Assembly on Monday.

On Thursday, Reuters reported that the US had declined to co-sponsor the text drafted by Ukraine and the EU. Then on Friday Washington proposed its own resolution for a General Assembly vote on Monday as well. Late on Friday the US also gave the same draft resolution to the Security Council.

A Security Council vote on the US draft has not yet been scheduled, diplomats said. A council resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, Russia, China, Britain or France to be adopted.