The US is pushing back against calling Russia an aggressor in a G7 statement marking the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as Trump increasingly threatens to disrupt the traditional show of unity.
Points of attention
- The Trump administration is pushing back against labeling Russia as an aggressor in the G7 statement, proposing to refer to the war in Ukraine as a “conflict” instead of “Russian aggression”.
- This proposed shift in language signifies a broader change in US policy towards describing the ongoing war in Ukraine, diverging from the stance taken by the previous Biden administration.
- The disagreement over terminology highlights the divergence between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump, as they navigate efforts to resolve the conflict with Russia
Trump wants to call Russia's brutal aggression the "conflict in Ukraine"
Five Western officials familiar with the matter told the FT that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's participation in Monday's virtual G7 summit has also not yet been agreed.
The publication notes that the disagreements arose after US President Donald Trump accused Ukraine of war, called Zelenskyy a "dictator without elections" and suggested inviting Russia back to the G7.
According to anonymous Western officials, US envoys opposed the phrase "Russian aggression" and similar descriptions that G7 leaders have used since 2022 to describe the conflict.
It is worth noting that last year's statement by G7 leaders mentions Russian aggression five times.
"We call on Russia to immediately cease its aggressive war and to fully and unconditionally withdraw its armed forces from the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine," the 2024 statement said.
Two anonymous sources noted that the Trump administration's insistence on softening the language reflects a broader shift in US policy toward describing the war as "the conflict in Ukraine."
The change marks a departure from the language used by former US President Joe Biden's administration, which often used phrases like "Russian aggression" to refer to the largest land war in Europe since World War II.
Also, for the first time since the beginning of Russia's war against Ukraine, the United States refuses to co-sponsor a draft UN resolution dedicated to the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It supports the country's territorial integrity and condemns Russian aggression.
The move appears to reflect differences between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump, who are trying to quickly end the war in Ukraine and whose team has been negotiating with Russia without Kyiv's participation, the agency notes.
A draft UN General Assembly resolution, seen by Reuters, condemns Russian aggression and reaffirms commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. It was supported by more than 50 countries.
In previous years, the United States has consistently co-sponsored such resolutions in support of a just peace in Ukraine, a Reuters source said.
It is noted that the UN vote, which is considered an important signal of global support for Ukraine at a time when the Donald Trump administration appears to be siding with Russia in the war, could still take place without US support, but is less likely to receive broad support in the General Assembly.
