The UN Security Council has five permanent members—the United States, China (Now PRC, originally ROC, Taiwan), France, Russia, (formerly Soviet Union) and the United Kingdom —collectively known as the P5.
Any one of them can veto a resolution. with veto power. This privileged status has its roots in the United Nations’ founding in the aftermath of World War I
The use of veto power effectively make the UN Security Council unworkable relative to the intentions in the UN Charter.
Each P5 member use their veto power to protect their interests and those of their friends.
Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 the P5 nation have used their veto thus:
Russia : 35 times,
USA : 21 times
China : 17 times
UK : 0 times
France : 0 times
PS> Many of the vetoes cast by Russia and China this last couple of years have been mutual
List of vetos cast since 1946: