UN voting record · Middle East
How Saudi Arabia votes at the UN
Saudi Arabia votes with the Arab states and the developing-country majority on most issues at the General Assembly. In 2025 it agreed with China on 92% of recorded votes (votes where each country's choice is listed), with India on 92%, and with the United States on 10%. It co-led the New York Declaration on a Palestinian state with France. It voted to condemn the 2022 invasion of Ukraine but abstains on resolutions that punish Russia or hold it to account.
- 92%
With ChinaIn 2024: 83% - 92%
With IndiaIn 2024: 87% - 83%
With RussiaIn 2024: 65% - 10%
With the USIn 2024: 35%
Share of recorded General Assembly votes on which Saudi Arabia and each country voted the same way, 2025.
Does Saudi Arabia vote with the US at the UN?
Saudi Arabia rarely votes with the United States. It belongs to the Group of 77 (G77), the UN's main bloc of developing countries, and votes with the Arab Group, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Gulf Cooperation Council on Middle East texts. Its closest matches in 2025 were Syria (99%) and Kuwait, Oman, Yemen, Mauritania, Grenada and Eswatini (98%). Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has said, "I don't ascribe to this zero-sum game" and "We are all capable of having multiple partnerships."
Agreement with the United States fell from 35% in 2024 to 10% in 2025, mostly because of a change on the United States side. The average agreement of all members with the United States fell from 46% to 14%. The United States voted no on 174 of 192 recorded votes.
Why did Saudi Arabia co-lead the New York Declaration?
Saudi Arabia says a Palestinian state is the condition for peace and for any relations with Israel. It co-chaired with France the conference that produced the New York Declaration. France presented it to the Assembly "on behalf of France and Saudi Arabia." The Assembly endorsed it on September 12, 2025 by 142 votes to 10. Israel and the United States were among the 10 countries that voted no. Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on July 28, 2025, "normalisation with Israel can only come through the establishment of a Palestinian state."
On February 5, 2025 the foreign ministry said Saudi Arabia "will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that," meaning an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. On September 22, 2025 Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, speaking for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, said "the implementation of the two-state solution is the only way to achieve a just and permanent peace."
How does Saudi Arabia vote on Ukraine?
Saudi Arabia supports Ukraine's territorial integrity but abstains on texts that punish Russia or hold it to account. It voted yes on the March 2022 resolution condemning the invasion but abstained on suspending Russia from the Human Rights Council. Deputy Ambassador Mohammed Alateek called the suspension "an escalatory step that would exacerbate the already tense situation."
In February 2025 Saudi Arabia abstained on the two Ukraine resolutions voted on February 24, 2025 (ES-11/7 and ES-11/8), six days after hosting talks between the United States and Russia in Riyadh. Kuwait, speaking for the Gulf Cooperation Council, said "we must give priority to dialogue through mediation and negotiations." Saudi Arabia also hosted talks between the United States and Ukraine in Jeddah on March 11, 2025.
- Mar 2022"Aggression against Ukraine"141 yes, 5 no, 35 abstainedYes
- Apr 2022Suspending Russia from the Human Rights Council93 yes, 24 no, 58 abstainedAbstained
- Oct 2022"Territorial integrity of Ukraine"143 yes, 5 no, 35 abstainedYes
- Feb 2025A just and lasting peace93 yes, 18 no, 65 abstainedAbstained
- Dec 2025Return of Ukrainian children91 yes, 12 no, 57 abstainedAbstained
Which countries vote most like Saudi Arabia?
Compare with any country →Saudi Arabia's closest matches in 2025 are Syria, the Gulf states and other Arab and developing countries. Its least alike countries are the United States, Israel and Argentina. All three often voted against the developing-country majority in 2025.
Syria99%
Grenada98%
Kuwait98%
Mauritania98%
Oman98%
Eswatini98%
- United States10%
Israel25%
Argentina36%
Nauru62%
Paraguay70%
How did Saudi Arabia vote on the big votes?
| Vote | Saudi Arabia | United States | China | Russia | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The New York Declaration on two statesSeptember 12, 2025 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Adopted 142–10 |
| Demanding a permanent ceasefire in GazaJune 12, 2025 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Adopted 149–12 |
| A just and lasting peace in UkraineFebruary 24, 2025 | Abstained | No | Abstained | No | Adopted 93–18 |
| Suspending Russia from the Human Rights CouncilApril 7, 2022 | Abstained | Yes | No | No | Adopted 93–24 |
| Ending the US embargo on CubaOctober 29, 2025 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Adopted 165–7 |
Where does Saudi Arabia sit?
Saudi Arabia sits in the large developing-country group on the left of the strip, close to the other Arab states.
Iran
United Kingdom
Turkey
France