Another Painful Nod to Russia: It’s not ‘Aggression’ but a ‘Situation’ and ‘Conflict’

In the White House’s continuing effort to rewrite history and downplay Russia’s role in global and regional aggression, the United States voted in favor of Moscow’s amendment to an International Labor Organization (ILO) resolution that eliminated the word “aggression” from a clause describing Russia’s bloody invasion of Ukraine while replacing it with the meaningless word “situation,.” according to the website Geneva Solutions.

Russia, which was referred to as an aggressor in the original version, would be recast as a “party to the conflict.” Washington endorsed all of Russia’s efforts to rewrite the narrative and redefine the nature of the war, the website stated.

Since its adoption in March 2022, following Russia’s invasion, the resolution has been renewed twice a year at sessions of the ILO Governing Body in Geneva, each time by a large majority. Following Donald Trump’s return to the Oval Office,, Washington first distanced itself from the position held by pro-Ukrainian European countries – the main backers of the text – before voting in favor of Russian amendments for the first time last autumn.

This spring, the US reaffirmed its alignment with Moscow, becoming one of four countries, along with China and Niger, out of 56 voting countries to do so. This new Russia-China-US bloc has emerged at the International Labor Organization, seeking to water down a European-led resolution condemning Ukraine's invasion. US workers and employers have reportedly opposed the alliance.

When asked for an explanation, the US Mission to the United Nations in Geneva referred inquiries to the State Department’s communications services in Washington, which did not respond to the Swiss newspaper Le Temps. Speaking privately, US representatives defended this new position “in the name of peace” and to “avoid politicising the issue.” This poor excuse for an explanation sounds like something that Putin’s “Squealer” Dmitry Pesko would contrive.

Geneva Solutions pointed out that, in practice, however, Washington is playing into Moscow’s hands, a comment about the White House that has been echoed on Capitol Hill. It also reflects a new configuration in which Russia, China, and the US have formed a tactical alignment against Ukrainian and European interests. After withdrawing from the Human Rights Council and the World Health Organization, the US latest change in position stands to further weaken the former Western alliance. Ukrainian authorities did not comment on the US vote. The ILO said the minutes of the latest Governing Body session will be posted online “within roughly two weeks.”

The ILO resolution on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine was first adopted a month after the war broke out, with the support of the Biden administration and a large majority of governments (28 full members), as well as employer (14) and worker (14) representatives. The text urges Russia to immediately cease its aggression, withdraw from occupied territories and provide assistance to Ukraine.

Blaise Matthey, spokesperson for the ILO employer group and vice-president for Europe and Central Asia, confirmed that the group rejected the Russian amendments, as did the worker group. Russia’s proposals were ultimately struck down, and the resolution was extended without a vote.

“The only country to have changed its position is the US,” noted Swiss trade unionist and ILO expert Luca Cirigliano. “Despite the current Russia-China-Iran-Belarus axis, other countries in Africa, South America and Asia are not shifting in Russia’s favour. This shows that, ultimately, within UN agencies, neither China, nor Trump’s US, nor Russia dictate outcomes.”

Under these circumstances, it would be difficult for the White House to deny its blatant support for Putin’s Russia, thus tarnishing America’s historic position as a defender of the former captive nations a few months ahead of the mid-term elections. Sadly, Republicans may be compelled to pay for this in the polls later this year and in 2028. Ukrainian American voters will remember.