Russia Vetoes UN Resolution Ending Western Sahara Peacekeeping Mission
Russia vetoed a U.S.-backed UN resolution to end the Western Sahara peacekeeping mission, causing the mandate to expire for the first time in 35 years.
The Federal Government of Russia vetoed a United States-drafted UN Security Council resolution on October 30, 2026, that sought to end the 35-year peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara. The U.S. proposal would have terminated the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) on April 30, 2027, renaming it the UN Mission in Western Sahara (MINUSO) and establishing Morocco's autonomy plan as the sole basis for a political settlement. This change would have effectively removed the commitment to a referendum on self-determination.
Following the veto, the Security Council defeated a rival Russian-drafted resolution that proposed a simple extension of the current mandate until October 31, 2027. The measure failed with a 3-1 vote and 11 abstentions. As a result, the peacekeeping mission's mandate is set to expire on Saturday, October 31, marking the first such failure in 35 years.
The United Kingdom condemned the veto, with its representative stating that the move undermines the Council's action. The Polisario Front had previously described the U.S. draft as an "extremely dangerous, unprecedented departure" from international law. While the deadlock may be seen as a diplomatic victory for Algeria, the mission's legal status remains uncertain unless the Security Council reaches a new agreement.
