New York (United Nations), November 11, 2026 (SPS) – Russia has defended its veto of the US-sponsored draft resolution on Western Sahara, stating that it was necessary to prevent the imposition of Washington's national position, preserve the integrity of UN decisions and protect the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday under the “veto initiative” (Resolution 76/262), Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative, Anna Evstigneeva, said Moscow's decision on October 30 was based on the need to take the positions of both parties to the conflict, Morocco and the Frente POLISARIO, into account equally.
She criticized the US draft resolution for reflecting Washington's position in favour of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara and for marginalizing the Frente POLISARIO as a party to the political negotiations.
The Russian diplomat stressed that Western Sahara remains a decolonization issue whose final status must be determined through a fair process, under UN auspices, that respects the aspirations of its people.
She further warned that the US draft sought to transform the question of Western Sahara from a decolonization issue into an internal political and humanitarian matter, thereby undermining the Sahrawi people's ability to determine their own future.
Russia also rejected attempts to use Morocco's claimed economic and infrastructure development in the territory as grounds for granting it an advantage in the political settlement, stressing that any proposal for genuine autonomy must reflect the aspirations and preserve the dignity and rights of the Sahrawi people.
Evstigneeva revealed that Russia had proposed a one-year technical extension of MINURSO's mandate without changes to the previous resolution, but the proposal was rejected by Western countries. A subsequent alternative Russian draft, containing five paragraphs on the technical extension of the mission, also failed to secure sufficient support.
Rejecting Western accusations that Moscow was responsible for the termination of MINURSO, Russia called for renewed efforts towards a UN-led settlement based on the principles of impartiality and respect for international legitimacy.
The Russian representative concluded that the veto had served as a necessary corrective mechanism to safeguard international law and prevent the imposition of an unjust solution to the Western Sahara conflict.
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