By Yuko Mukai / The Yomiuri Shimbun

8:00 JST, March 8, 2025

On Feb. 24, the three-year anniversary of the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a vote on a resolution condemning Russia in the U.N. General Assembly shockingly laid bare the fundamental changes taking place in the world under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The United States, along with Russia and North Korea, which sent troops to fight against Ukraine, were all on the same side in opposing the resolution condemning Russia for the aggression. At the same time, the United States started talks with Russia about Ukraine — talks that were held without Ukraine — and has not provided a clear vision or “security guarantees” that can prevent another attempt by Russia to invade Ukraine.

Trump’s approach stands in sharp contrast to that of the former administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, which led the United States and the world to support Ukraine. Biden’s appeal to protect Ukrainian democracy from aggression by a tyrannical state has inspired people in East Asia who understand that what is happening in Ukraine today could happen in East Asia tomorrow, spurring them toward efforts to strengthen their own defense and deterrence capabilities.

The recent drastic shift in the U.S. stance towards this war has shaken the international community. According to Japanese officials, the United States had initially said that it would join Japan and European countries in supporting the resolution condemning Russia, but it changed its position shortly before the vote, stating only that this was Trump’s intention. Japan was perplexed by this abrupt about-face by its ally, but at the conclusion of discussions within the government, Tokyo’s position of “standing by Ukraine” remained unwavering.

Kazuyuki Yamazaki, Japan’s U.N. ambassador, made Japan’s position clear by calling for the support of an........

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