Russia and China at the UN: Abstaining on Western Sahara
The October 2025 Vote
On 31 October 2025 the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2797 (2025), renewing the MINURSO peacekeeping mandate for one year. The text passed with 11 votes in favour and 3 abstentions: China, Pakistan and the Russian Federation.
Crucially, neither Russia nor China used its veto. By declining to block a resolution that frames Morocco's autonomy plan as the basis for a solution, the two permanent members allowed the process to advance, an outcome widely read as tacit acquiescence rather than active endorsement.
Russia's Calculations
Russia's representative said Moscow abstained because it could not support an unbalanced text, but chose not to block the mandate renewal in order to give the peace process another chance. This kept Russia's traditional posture of formal neutrality intact.
Analysts also point to Russia's broader interest, after President Trump's return to the White House, in avoiding new friction with Washington, especially over Ukraine. Picking a fight over a US-led Western Sahara resolution offered Moscow little upside.
China's Position
China's UN representative Fu Cong justified Beijing's abstention by citing perceived imbalances in the US-drafted resolution and a preference for a consensus-based, negotiated outcome under the UN framework.
Beijing maintains substantial economic ties with both Morocco and Algeria and prefers not to alienate either. Its abstention preserves room to deepen commercial relationships with Rabat, including in the Moroccan-administered southern provinces, without a formal political declaration.
What the Abstentions Mean
For Morocco, the absence of a veto from either Russia or China is a quiet diplomatic win. It signals that neither great power is willing to spend capital defending the Polisario's maximalist position at the Council.
The pattern reflects a longer trend: as momentum builds behind the autonomy plan among Western and Arab states, the dispute's traditional defenders at the UN have grown more reluctant to obstruct, leaving the Sahrawi cause with fewer reliable champions among the permanent five.
Frequently asked
How did Russia and China vote on Resolution 2797?
Both abstained. The resolution passed on 31 October 2025 with 11 votes in favour and 3 abstentions (China, Pakistan and Russia); neither permanent member used its veto.
Why did Russia abstain rather than veto?
Russia called the text unbalanced but chose not to block the MINURSO mandate renewal, citing a desire to give the peace process another chance and avoid new friction with Washington.
Does China recognize the SADR?
China maintains formal neutrality and strong ties with both Morocco and Algeria, abstaining on Security Council texts rather than taking sides.