The United Nations General Assembly once again voted overwhelmingly in favor of ending the decades-long United States embargo on Cuba, with 165 of 193 Member States supporting the resolution. However, this year’s vote reflected shifting global alliances, as seven countries opposed the measure and twelve abstained—marking a notable change from last year’s near-unanimous support. The countries voting against the resolution included the United States, Israel, Argentina, Hungary, Paraguay, North Macedonia, and Ukraine, while abstentions came from several European and Latin American nations.
The shift in voting patterns was largely attributed to Cuba’s support for Russia amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Poland, speaking on behalf of five European countries, said their abstentions reflected concerns over Cuba’s “selective application of the UN Charter.” Romania echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that foreign involvement in Russia’s aggression undermines international law. These remarks signaled growing frustration among European states with Cuba’s geopolitical stance, even as they acknowledged the humanitarian and economic toll of the US embargo.
Despite its non-binding nature, the resolution once again highlighted the global consensus opposing unilateral coercive measures that have far-reaching economic and humanitarian effects. It reiterated the Assembly’s call for all states to reject US legislation such as the Helms-Burton Act of 1996, which Cuba argues violates international law. The text also drew attention to the Obama administration’s limited efforts to ease embargo restrictions, contrasting them with measures introduced since 2017 that strengthened the blockade. The Assembly decided to include the embargo issue once again in next year’s provisional agenda, maintaining international pressure for its removal.
