No. A permanent member's abstention does not count as a veto in the UN Security Council. A substantive resolution can still be adopted if it receives at least nine affirmative votes and no permanent member votes against it.
The Council's official voting guide explicitly distinguishes abstention from veto. The independent Security Council Report handbook confirms that established Council practice allows substantive decisions to pass despite a permanent member's voluntary abstention.
An abstention is not an affirmative vote, so it does not help reach the nine-vote threshold. Procedural decisions have a separate rule: they require nine affirmative votes, and a permanent member's negative vote does not act as a veto.
Abstaining and vetoing have different effects. An abstention leaves adoption possible, but the required affirmative votes are still necessary.
United Nations Security Council
The official voting guide states that a permanent member may abstain without preventing adoption when the required affirmative votes are obtained and no veto is cast.
Based on: United Nations Security Council
Security Council Report
The handbook's discussion of voluntary abstentions confirms that they do not block substantive decisions with nine affirmative votes and no permanent-member negative votes.
Based on: Security Council Report
Security Council Report
The handbook explains that procedural decisions require nine affirmative votes, without giving permanent members a veto.
Based on: Security Council Report
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