KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russia on Friday vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution telling Moscow to stop attacking Ukraine and withdraw all troops immediately.

The veto was expected, but the United States and its supporters argued that the effort would highlight Moscows international isolation.

The 11-1 vote with China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstaining showed significant but not total opposition to Russias invasion of its smaller, militarily weaker neighbor.

The resolutions failure paves the way for backers to call for a swift vote on a similar measure in the 193-member U.N. General Assembly, where there are no vetoes. There was no immediate timetable for a potential Assembly vote.

Spearheaded by the U.S. and Albania, the Security Council resolution would have deplored Russias aggression against Ukraine. It called for Moscow immediately to pull out its military and stop using force against Ukraine, and to reverse a decision to recognize two separatist areas in eastern Ukraine as independent.

Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions arent legally binding, but they can function as statements of world opinion. In an Assembly meeting Wednesday as Moscows invasion loomed, dozens of countries condemned Russia or expressed solidarity with Ukraine. Russia and ally Syria defended Moscows moves.