In a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, President Trump recently had the United States vote against a U.N. resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, aligning with countries like North Korea and Belarus while opposing traditional allies such as Britain and France. This marks a recalibration of America’s global stance, potentially isolating it from its historical partners. Critics, including former officials and some Republicans, express concern over Trump’s alignment with autocratic regimes and his lack of support for Ukraine’s sovereignty. Trump’s approach, framed as a negotiation strategy, raises questions about whether he prioritizes America’s values or seeks to foster relations with adversaries.
If the adage holds true that one is defined by their associations, then President Trump may be revealing his intentions for a second term through his choice of allies.
This week, in a significant shift in global politics, Mr. Trump had the United States vote against a U.N. General Assembly resolution that condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, coinciding with the third anniversary of the conflict.
In this stance, Mr. Trump allied himself with nations such as North Korea, Belarus, and Sudan.
Conversely, he stood against Britain, France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Japan, and the majority of the international community.
It’s challenging to find a clearer example of how drastically Mr. Trump is shifting America’s global position after just a month back in office. He appears to be aligning the U.S. not only with the world’s chief outlaws but also in opposition to long-standing allies dating back to World War II.
The erosion of the U.S. relationship with its historic allies presents significant consequences for the future of American foreign policy. As leaders from Poland, France, and Britain visit Washington this week to encourage Mr. Trump to return to conventional alliances, they face a sobering truth: he does not share their values or prioritize their concerns in ways that align with American interests.
Should the United States continue its alignment with international pariahs like Russia, it may compel Europe, Canada, and Asian partners like Japan and South Korea to forge their own alliances. Moreover, Mr. Trump’s allegiance to Moscow has granted Russia an escape from the diplomatic isolation that the West sought to impose for three years following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“Trump is blatantly and unapologetically advancing Russia’s agenda in this and numerous other ways, aligning the U.S. with adversaries and against our treaty allies,” stated Susan E. Rice, who was President Barack Obama’s U.N. ambassador and his national security adviser. “We must all question why this is happening.”
European leaders were left astonished and perplexed by the U.S. vote at the U.N. General Assembly on Monday and the push for an alternative resolution through the Security Council that notably did not blame Russia for the invasion. In that vote, the United States, China, and Russia were in agreement, while Britain, France, and other European nations abstained.
“I was profoundly troubled by the U.N. vote today that aligned us with Russia and North Korea,” wrote Senator John Curtis, a Republican from Utah, on social media. “These are not our allies. This shift represents a dramatic departure from American ideals of freedom and democracy. While we all desire an end to the conflict, it must be under terms that uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty and security and dissuade Putin from further territorial aspirations.”
Representative Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska, expressed dismay that the president would side with the aggressor. “The Trump Administration made a significant error today regarding Ukraine,” he stated online. “The overwhelming majority of Americans support independence, freedom, and free markets, while opposing aggressors and invaders.”
Mr. Trump’s team contends that he is opening a delicate and strategic negotiation to resolve the war, and critics who accuse him of adopting Russia’s narratives are opposed to ending the violence in Ukraine. They argue that since the previous president, Joseph R. Biden Jr., did not secure peace, Mr. Trump’s approach has to be more effective.
“The president possesses an unparalleled skill for striking deals, and to achieve a deal, both parties must come to the table,” said Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, during a briefing on Tuesday. “Typically, in good negotiations, both sides leave the table somewhat dissatisfied.”
However, if the objective was to avoid alienating President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia while seeking peace, he has evidently shown no hesitation in distancing himself from President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. While refraining from criticizing Mr. Putin or Russia, Mr. Trump has mistakenly asserted that Ukraine “initiated” the conflict and labeled the popularly elected Mr. Zelensky as a “dictator without elections.”
The U.S. has seldom found common ground with the likes of North Korea and Belarus on significant issues while dismissing Britain and France. A 2023 State Department report indicated that among the nations the U.S. voted with most frequently in the U.N. that year were Canada, Britain, Australia, and France. In contrast, the U.S. was predominantly at odds with countries such as Syria, Nicaragua, Iran, North Korea, China, Cuba, Belarus, and Russia.
The primary area of disagreement between the U.S. and its major allies has traditionally been the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where America has typically opposed U.N. resolutions critical of Israel, while European nations have often supported them. Former U.N. diplomats noted they couldn’t recall an instance where the U.S. voted alongside Russia and other outlier states on such pivotal matters.
“When I was U.N. ambassador, had I received instructions from the State Department and White House to abandon our European allies and vote with the axis of autocrats, including Russia, North Korea, and Belarus, I would have assumed that our communications systems had been hacked and compromised by the Russians,” Ms. Rice remarked.
Mr. Trump appears unfazed by being outside the global consensus. He welcomed President Emmanuel Macron of France this week without evident tension, even as the visiting leader endeavored to gently nudge him toward being more cautious regarding Russia and more supportive of Ukrainian security. Mr. Trump smiled, shook hands, and seemed entirely unaffected.
He plans to host Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain on Thursday at the White House for another meeting that will further test the new dynamics of the Atlantic alliance, as the British leader seeks to emphasize the significance of Europe’s solidarity with the United States. However, European officials do not hold much optimism for success.
In truth, Mr. Trump is not disconcerted by leaders such as Mr. Putin and Kim Jong-un of North Korea. He has long shown admiration for authoritarian figures. Upon leaving the White House in 2021, he proudly displayed a photograph of himself with Mr. Kim at his Mar-a-Lago office, despite widespread allegations of human rights violations against the North Korean regime, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, torture, repression, forced abortions, and coerced sterilizations.
While other presidents have engaged with unsavory characters and regimes for pragmatic reasons of national interest, they generally did so with reluctance and not at the expense of their closest allies. Mr. Trump, however, appears willing to take this further than most of his predecessors.
During a press conference with Mr. Macron, the president referred to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia. The C.I.A. has labeled the prince a killer, reporting that he orchestrated the gruesome murder and dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Mr. Trump described the prince as “a fantastic young guy” who is “immensely respected worldwide.”
In contrast, Mr. Trump has not offered similar praise for Mr. Zelensky, the beleaguered leader of a democratic nation under attack by a dictatorship. According to Mr. Trump’s vision, Ukraine does not fit into the U.S. alignment. While the United States was the only G7 nation to oppose the U.N. resolution, Mr. Trump is effectively creating a new coalition, one with ties to Moscow, Minsk, and Pyongyang, rather than to London, Paris, and Berlin.