{
  "id": 17326104,
  "title": "Russia, US peacekeeping mission in limbo",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/russia-us-peacekeeping-mission-in-limbo",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-31T01:30:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/russia-us-veto-rival-un-western-sahara-resolutions-leaving-peacekeeping-mission-in-limbo/articleshow/135383640.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The United Nations Security Council found itself without a peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara on Friday, as Russia and the United States vetoed each other's resolutions. The dispute centered around Morocco's autonomy plan for the disputed territory, which has been under Moroccan control since Spain's withdrawal in 1976. The failure to renew the mission leaves 155 military personnel without a mandate, just one day before its expiration.\n\nThe UN peacekeeping mission, known as MINURSO, was tasked with organizing a referendum as part of a UN-brokered ceasefire. However, the referendum has never taken place due to disagreements on voter eligibility. The US-drafted resolution would have renamed the mission to reflect this, removing the reference to a referendum from its name. The US also aimed to remove Morocco's autonomy plan as the basis for talks to resolve the conflict.\n\nFrance and the UK, along with the other two permanent Security Council members, backed the US resolution and Morocco's autonomy plan. Russia and the US, however, blocked the US-drafted resolution, leading to the mission's imminent termination. Russia's UN envoy, Vassily Nebenzia, argued that the Security Council should not endorse a one-sided approach. The US then vetoed a Russian-drafted resolution to extend the mission's mandate for another year without changes.\n\nThe loss of MINURSO's monitoring and de-escalation functions could significantly undermine security and stability in the region, with serious consequences for civilians and prospects of a peaceful resolution. Oxfam warned that the mission's absence could put civilians at risk. The vetoed US resolution would have urged the UN refugee agency to conduct a census of the refugees in Polisario-run camps in Algeria.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}