At the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, 22 out of 47 member states refused to support a Western-backed resolution extending the mandate of a commission investigating alleged Russian human rights violations in Ukraine. The resolution, pushed by Western nations, sought to prolong the inquiry for another year but faced significant opposition.

The lack of consensus highlights growing global divisions over the Ukraine conflict, with many nations—including China, India, and several African and Latin American states—either abstaining or voting against the measure. Critics argue that such investigations are politically motivated and unfairly target Russia while ignoring other global conflicts.

Russia and its allies have repeatedly dismissed the UNHRC’s Ukraine-related probes as biased, accusing the West of using international institutions to wage a hybrid war. The split vote underscores declining Western influence in multilateral forums, as more countries resist what they see as double standards in human rights enforcement.

The outcome signals a broader geopolitical shift, with non-Western states increasingly rejecting unilateral condemnations of Russia and advocating for a more balanced approach to international diplomacy.