How many times has each country used its UN veto?

How many times has the United States used its veto?

The United States has cast 95 vetoes. Its first was on March 17, 1970, together with the United Kingdom, on a draft concerning Southern Rhodesia. The 1980s were the peak decade, with 46 vetoes. By Orbis's classification of the library's list, 51 of the 95 concerned the Arab-Israeli conflict. Counting the April 18, 2024 veto of Palestine's application for UN membership, the figure is 52.

As of October 2026, the United States has vetoed six drafts and one amendment on Gaza since October 2023. Robert Wood, the US deputy representative, said on December 8, 2023: "We do not support calls for an immediate ceasefire. ... This would only plant the seeds for the next war." On April 18, 2024, the United States vetoed Algeria's draft recommending Palestine for UN membership, 12 to 1 with 2 abstentions. Wood said: "This vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood." Mansour said the result "will not break our will."

Israel's ambassador Gilad Erdan said in February 2024 that a ceasefire would let Hamas survive and be a "death sentence" for Israelis and Gazans. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador, said on December 8, 2023: "When you refuse to call for a ceasefire, you are refusing to call for the only thing that can put an end to war crimes."

How many times has Russia used its veto?

In the UN library's list, Russia and the Soviet Union have cast 144 vetoes, 126 of them alone. "Russia" in the count means the Soviet Union until December 1991 and Russia since then. The first veto in the Council's history was cast by the Soviet Union on February 16, 1946, on a draft concerning the withdrawal of foreign troops from Syria and Lebanon. Of the Soviet Union's 61 vetoes in 1946 to 1955, 30 blocked the admission of new members.

Since 2011 Russia has cast 18 vetoes on Syria. China joined 10 of them. On Ukraine, the library's list has 5 Russian vetoes: on the Crimea referendum (March 15, 2014), on a tribunal for the downing of flight MH17 (July 29, 2015), on the invasion itself (February 25, 2022), on the annexation referendums (September 30, 2022), and on two European amendments to a US draft (February 24, 2025). In 2026, Russia and China together vetoed drafts on the Strait of Hormuz (April 7) and on the Iran sanctions panel (September 17).

On February 25, 2022, Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's ambassador, told the representatives of France, the United Kingdom and the United States: "You have made Ukraine a pawn in your own game." Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine's ambassador, called Nebenzia's remarks a "diabolical script." On September 30, 2022, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the United States ambassador, said the referendums were a "sham", held "behind the barrel of Russian guns." Nebenzia said: "The residents of these regions do not want to return to Ukraine."

How often does China use its veto?

China has cast 21 vetoes. This is the People's Republic of China's record since it took China's seat at the United Nations in 1971. China's first veto under the People's Republic was on August 25, 1972, blocking Bangladesh's membership. In 1997 China cast the sole vote against sending military observers to Guatemala (14 to 1) after Guatemala invited Taiwan's authorities to a peace signing. In 1999 China vetoed renewal of the UN force in Macedonia, saying its goals had been met; Macedonia had opened relations with Taiwan a month earlier.

Of China's 21 vetoes, 18 were cast together with Russia, all since 2007. China has not vetoed alone since 1999. On April 7, 2026, China and Russia vetoed a draft on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Fu Cong, China's ambassador, said: "The Security Council should not rush to vote ... when serious concerns have been raised by members." Bahrain's foreign minister, Abdullatif Al Zayani, said: "Failing to adopt this resolution sends the wrong signal to the world." On September 17, China and Russia vetoed a US draft to extend the panel of experts on UN sanctions against Iran. France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States say those sanctions were reimposed in September 2025. China, Russia and Iran say the process that reimposed them was invalid. As of October 2026 the dispute is unresolved.

Why haven't the United Kingdom and France used the veto since 1989?

The United Kingdom cast its first vetoes on October 30, 1956, together with France. They blocked a United States draft calling on Israel and Egypt to cease fire during the Suez crisis, and a Soviet draft the same day. Their last vetoes came together with the United States on December 23, 1989, on Panama. In between, the United Kingdom cast 5 vetoes alone, all on Southern Rhodesia between 1963 and 1972. France cast 2 vetoes alone: on the Indonesian question on August 25, 1947 (its first veto) and on the Comoros on February 6, 1976.

Jean-Noël Barrot, France's foreign minister, said in September 2026 that the veto "all too often prevents the United Nations from taking action to halt acts of genocide." The United Kingdom joined the French-Mexican declaration on restraining the veto on September 21, 2026, saying: "The UK is proud to join and remains committed to responsible use of the veto." Orbis found no UK government statement explaining why the United Kingdom has not cast a veto since 1989.