From friendship with Zelensky to turning to Trump: the behind-the-scenes of Argentina's abstention that favored Russia at the UN
In a new twist in foreign policy, Argentina abstained from voting in favor of a United Nations (UN) resolution that demanded that Russia withdraw all its troops from Ukrainian territory. The stance differed from the relative support that President Javier Milei had professed in favour of his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky , now aligning himself with the stamp that Donald Trump imprinted on his second term in the White House.
The decision was implemented under the instruction of Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein on February 24, 2025, the third anniversary of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, a conflict that shook the global order since its beginning in 2022. In this context, the UN General Assembly voted a resolution in which Ukraine demanded that Russia withdraw "immediately, completely and unconditionally all its military forces" from the country.
The resolution, promoted by the United States as part of Joe Biden's legacy, was supported by more than ninety countries, but Argentina surprised everyone by abstaining, in an important shift in its diplomatic stance that had been clear in the early stages of the conflict when Alberto Fernández was still president.
Argentina abstained from voting on a UN resolution condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine
This change reflects the growing influence of the Trump administration's foreign policy over the government of Javier Milei, who until then had shown solid support for the Ukrainian president, one of his guests at the presidential inauguration on December 10, 2023. The tycoon, for his part, kicked the table by forcing unprecedented support for Russia by voting against the project, a position that was consistent with his recent rapprochement with the Kremlin leader, Vladimir Putin.
How the vote on the Ukraine resolution went at the UNThe draft resolution, co-sponsored by more than 50 countries, reaffirmed the call for Russia to immediately withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory within its internationally recognized borders, and to cease any attacks against civilians. " Moscow wants to base the world on force, not on international order ," said Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa, presenting the draft.
In this regard, the Deputy Minister stressed that despite Russia's belief that Ukraine "would fall in three days" after a full-scale invasion, Ukrainian forces and international solidarity have shown that unity and the values of the UN Charter prevail over anarchy.
While the resolution was approved by 93 votes in favor, including Ukraine and the countries of the European Union, 18 countries voted against, with the novelty of the United States under Trump, which indirectly voted "in favor" of Russia, unlike his predecessor. They were joined by 65 nations that abstained from voting, such as Argentina, reflecting the polarization around the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, with a clear division between those who support Ukraine's sovereignty and those who, in some way, align themselves with the Russian position.
Throughout 2023 and into early 2024, the relationship between Javier Milei and Volodymyr Zelensky was cordial and close. Since assuming power in December 2023, Milei maintained a clear stance of support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. The image of the Argentine president with Zelensky, who awarded him the “Order of Freedom” medal in recognition of his support, was a symbol of Argentina’s commitment to Ukrainian sovereignty, in function. In January 2024, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Milei reaffirmed his position, highlighting his unconditional support for Ukraine and condemning the Russian invasion.
However, that position began to change shortly after Donald Trump took office again as US president in January 2025. The Republican president, who had maintained a closer relationship with Vladimir Putin during his previous term, began to adopt a more critical stance towards Ukraine and its president, Zelensky. In a message posted on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump accused Zelensky of being a “ dictator” and reproached him for not having called elections during the conflict, despite the enormous challenges facing Ukraine under martial law.
Volodymyr Zelensky said he would “leave the presidency in exchange for Ukraine joining NATO”
In a criticism of his predecessor Joe Biden, Trump also denounced the use of US funds to finance the war, suggesting that the $350 billion in aid Ukraine had received was not justifiable and that Zelensky did not have the means to win the conflict without direct US support.
This shift by Trump towards a closer stance towards Russia, together with his criticism of Zelensky, not only raised security alarm among his European partners but had a direct impact on the foreign policy of other countries aligned with Washington, including Argentina. After Trump took office, President Milei began to adjust his own stance on the war in Ukraine, increasingly aligning himself with US interests and moving away from his initial support for Ukraine. This change materialized in the UN vote on February 24, when Argentina decided to abstain rather than support the resolution demanding the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops.
The resolution presented by Ukraine on the third anniversary of the Russian invasion received a positive vote from 93 countries, but there were 18 votes against, mainly from Russia and its allies, and 65 abstentions. Argentina was one of the countries that decided to abstain, which surprised many, given the close bond that Milei had cultivated with Zelensky. This change of diplomatic stance marked a milestone in Argentine foreign policy, as the South American nation had historically aligned itself with UN resolutions that supported Ukrainian sovereignty, based on strengthening international law and condemning the use of force.
An interesting aspect of Argentina's abstention was that this decision aligned the country with several members of the BRICS , the middle-power bloc led by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Although Milei had rejected the idea of integrating this group into his campaign, a decision that he sealed as soon as he assumed the presidency, his abstention at the UN coincided with the stance of governments branded as "communist" by Milei, who also chose not to condemn Moscow.
Yurii Klymenko: "History has shown that appeasing the aggressor leads to further escalation"
The vote, meanwhile, showed how Argentina's foreign policy has begun to adjust to a more pragmatic vision, seeking to maintain diplomatic relations with a broader spectrum of international actors, as occurred with the libertarian government's turn toward China. In this case, the initial support for Zelensky changed based on Milei's alignment with the Trump administration, which was also reflected in his domestic policy.
Recently, during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, Milei met with Trump in a show of mutual support. This meeting was an important endorsement for the Argentine president, who is facing international pressure due to a scandal related to the cryptocurrency $LIBRA but also in his search for international financing.
Moreover, this relationship with Trump opened up new opportunities for Argentina in terms of trade and financial agreements. In parallel, Economy Minister Luis Caputo held talks with US Treasury officials to advance a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This agreement, which provided for more external debt, was seen by many as a reflection of Milei's new economic and diplomatic approach, which sought to get closer to US interests.
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