UN members backed a resolution supporting Ukraine鈥檚 territorial integrity Monday, facing down staunch opposition from Washington which pushed its own language that declined to blame Russia for the war or mention Kyiv鈥檚 borders.
The resolution, which won 93 votes in favour and 18 against with 65 abstentions 鈥� a drop in support compared to previous resolutions supporting Ukraine 鈥� reaffirmed the UN Assembly鈥檚 鈥榗ommitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine.鈥�
Washington sided with Moscow to join 16 others voting against.
A rival US resolution calling for a 鈥榮wift end鈥� to the Ukraine conflict but omitting any mention of Kyiv鈥檚 territorial integrity, did not win support from UN General Assembly members.
The assembly amended it so heavily that Washington abstained when the reworked text came to a vote.
Russian ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia had called the unedited US text 鈥榓 step in the right direction鈥� amid a dramatic thaw between Russia and the United States under President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, French president Emmanuel Macron warned that peace cannot mean the 鈥榮urrender鈥� of Ukraine, but said talks with US president Donald Trump had shown a path forward despite fears of a transatlantic rift.
Meeting at the White House on the third anniversary of Russia鈥檚 invasion, the two leaders said there was progress on the idea of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, although Macron insisted on US security guarantees for Kyiv.
Their talks came as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky called for peace 鈥榯his year鈥� as he met European leaders in Kyiv 鈥� amid mounting fears that Trump is pivoting towards Russia鈥檚 stance.
Early Tuesday, air raid sirens sounded across Ukraine as authorities warned of a wide missile attack.
They later reported at least five people were wounded and multiple buildings were damaged.
Authorities in neighbouring Poland said they scrambled military aircraft in response to the missile attack.
鈥楾his peace cannot mean the surrender of Ukraine,鈥� Macron told a joint news conference with Trump.
Macron said Trump had 鈥榞ood reason鈥� to re-engage with Russian president Vladimir Putin but said it was critical for Washington to offer 鈥榖ackup鈥� for any European peacekeeping force.
The French president said he would work with British prime minister Keir Starmer, who visits the White House on Thursday, on a proposal to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a deal.
鈥楢fter speaking with president Trump, I fully believe there is a path forward,鈥� said Macron.
The French president rushed to Washington after Trump sent shock waves around the world when he declared his readiness to resume diplomacy with Russia and hold talks to end the Ukraine war without Kyiv.
Trump鈥檚 recent embrace of Russia has sparked fears not only that it could spell the end of US support for Kyiv, but for the rest of Europe too.
The US president said Monday he was confident of bringing an end to the war, and that he expected Zelensky at the White House in the next two weeks to sign a deal granting Washington access to Ukraine鈥檚 rare minerals.
鈥業 think we could end it within weeks 鈥� if we鈥檙e smart. If we鈥檙e not smart, it will keep going,鈥� Trump said earlier in the Oval Office alongside Macron.
Macron later agreed that a truce was possible in 鈥榳eeks,鈥� in an interview with Fox News鈥檚 Bret Baier.
Trump meanwhile added that Putin was ready to 鈥榓ccept鈥� European troops deployed in Ukraine as guarantors of a deal to end fighting.
But billionaire tycoon Trump repeated his demands that Europe bears the burden for future support of Ukraine, and that the US recoups the billions of dollars in aid it has given Kyiv.
He also declined to call Putin a dictator 鈥� despite calling Zelensky one last week 鈥� or to comment on the UN resolutions.
For his part, Putin has been biding his time since his ice-breaking call with Trump less than two weeks ago.
Putin said in an interview with state television Monday that European countries can 鈥榩articipate鈥� in talks to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, his first sign of flexibility on the issue.
Sanctions-hit Moscow is meanwhile also eying the economic side, just as Trump is. Putin said Monday that US and Russian companies were 鈥榠n touch鈥� on joint economic projects 鈥� including strategic minerals in occupied Ukraine.
Putin added in his interview with state television that Zelensky was becoming a 鈥榯oxic figure鈥� in Ukraine 鈥� in comments that have been echoed by Trump.
Trump and Putin are eyeing a possible meeting in the coming weeks in Saudi Arabia.
Zelensky, who has said he would step down in exchange for peace with a guarantee that Ukraine could join NATO, called on Monday for a 鈥榬eal, lasting peace鈥� this year.
Putin鈥檚 decision to launch the invasion in February 2022 set off the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II, leading to the deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides and of Ukrainian civilians.
Trump has however accused Ukraine of starting the war, as he rapidly moves to abandon Democratic predecessor Joe Biden鈥檚 support for Kyiv.
The Republican spelled things out on Monday, saying he was making a 鈥榙ecisive break鈥� with traditional US foreign policy which he called 鈥榲ery foolish.鈥�