The U.N. chief openly criticized the United States' diplomatic moves. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said the United States is prioritizing its own power and influence over international law and appears to have lost faith in multilateralism itself.
On the 18th (local time), Secretary-General Guterres appeared on a BBC radio current affairs program and said, "The United States believes it can act with impunity and has a clear conviction that its own power matters more than international law." Expressing concern about the current direction of the international order, he said, "The power of law is being replaced by the law of power."
Guterres' remarks were interpreted as being made with the recent situation in mind in which the United States intervened in the Venezuela crisis to pressure the local leadership and President Donald Trump repeatedly mentioned the possibility of annexing Greenland. He stressed that such moves fundamentally threaten the principles of sovereignty and equality of member states enshrined in the U.N. Charter.
He said, "The current perception in the United States is that multilateral solutions are meaningless, and what matters is the exercise of U.S. power and influence," adding, "Sometimes that aligns with international legal norms, but often it does not."
Guterres acknowledged that the United Nations has structural limitations in fulfilling its role of upholding international law. He said, "The United Nations is acting very proactively to resolve global conflicts, but actual influence is held by the great powers," and asked, "The question is whether that influence is being used to create sustainable solutions or is confined to short-term patchwork."
He took particular issue with the paralysis of the U.N. Security Council's functions. Currently, the Security Council's five permanent members—the United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom and France—hold veto power, and as a result, resolutions on major international conflicts have repeatedly failed. Guterres argued that "the Security Council no longer represents today's world and is inefficient," saying structural reform is needed.
He said, "The veto is being abused for the interests of individual countries," adding, "In particular, the current structure in which European countries hold three seats undermines legitimacy." He went on to stress that the Security Council must regain representativeness and legitimacy through reform.
He also acknowledged the United Nations' powerlessness regarding the Gaza Strip situation. Secretary-General Guterres said, "If Israel does not allow U.N. relief operations, we can do nothing," adding, "We were only able to play a tangible role when a cease-fire and large-scale humanitarian access were possible."
In a recent U.N. General Assembly speech, he again stressed the need for reforms across international organizations, saying, "The structure of 1945 cannot solve the problems of 2026." He assessed that violations of international law, systems of impunity and deepening inequality are the most serious challenges to today's world order.
With his term ending, Secretary-General Guterres concluded by saying, "We cannot build a better world if we are afraid to confront those in power," and, "The international community must choose principles, not silence."