A senior United Nations official on Monday hailed the European Union (EU) as “a major economic and diplomatic actor and a strong advocate of multilateralism.”
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Khaled Khiari was speaking during the Security Council’s annual debate on cooperation between the two organizations in the areas of peace and security, which took place on Monday.
“In an increasingly complex and uncertain international environment, sustained engagement, dialogue and trust-building are essential,” he said.
“Respect for international law and the Charter of the United Nations remains central to addressing shared challenges. The European Union plays an important role in advancing these principles.”
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Partner in peace and beyond
Mr. Khiari said the EU is a key partner across the full spectrum of the UN’s work, from international peace and security to human rights, sustainable development and humanitarian action.
He expressed particular gratitude for the role of its member states as troop and police-contributing countries, including in Lebanon and other challenging environments.
“At a time when advancing political solutions remains difficult in many contexts, the support of the European Union to the United Nations’ good offices, mediation and political engagement is especially important,” he added.
Hopes for Ukraine ceasefire
Mr. Khiari said the war in Ukraine “is a severe test to the international order-related regional frameworks” and that Russia’s invasion of the country “has shaken the foundations of the European security architecture to its core.”
With the conflict now entering a fifth year, and the human toll continuing to rise, he expressed hope that the Orthodox Easter temporary ceasefire will help pave the way towards a more durable truce.
“An immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire must be the first step towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, grounded in respect for international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter,” he said.
EU support
Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, noted that although the bloc’s member states comprise only five per cent of the global population, they provide 42 per cent of Official Development Assistance (ODA) and finance a quarter of the UN’s regular budget.
“We pay in full and on time,” she said. “But the EU has never considered our support for the United Nations purely on how much we spend.”
The EU supports the UN “because it is the only international system that stands for peace, represents the global collective interest, and protects international law,” she explained.
“Today we are witnessing the gravest breakdown of international law since the Second World War,” endangering peace and security. “This is why the EU’s support for the UN now is more vital than ever.”
International law breaking down
Ms. Kallas said the breakdown of international law is evident in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the war in the Middle East, which she called the two preeminent global crises today.
“Russia is executing what is arguably among the most outrageous breaches of international law in United Nations history by invading a sovereign country and turning its back on its obligations as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council,” she said.
Meanwhile, “the war in the Middle East has caused immense instability and cost far too many lives,” with ripple effects felt worldwide. People from Europe to Asia are suffering from higher energy prices, and farmers from Sudan to South America are facing fertiliser shortages.
“Russia is also supporting Iran with intelligence and drones. Prolonging the war benefits Russia through higher energy prices, depleted air defence arsenals and diverted attention,” she said.
New world order
These two crises “represent the clearest sign yet of an abandonment of the old rules, including the UN Charter,” she continued.
“A new world is now in the making, characterised by competition and coercive power politics; a world order dominated by a handful of military powers who aim to establish spheres of influence.”
She reminded the Council that “we have been here before”, highlighting how the international community chose multilateralism over multipolarity in the aftermath of the First and Second World Wars.
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She stressed that “Europe will always choose cooperation over coercion.”
Responsibility to reform
Ms. Kallas said that in 100 years’ time, “historians will look back at this moment. And they will ask: What did the United Nations do when the rules-based order was under threat?
“Did we cling to the past, defending a system that no longer worked for the many? Or did we have the courage to reform it – to make it stronger, fairer, and more resilient?”
She insisted that “the answer is in our hands” and concluded with a message for Council members.
“You are entrusted with a responsibility to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. That was the promise of 1945, and it must be our mission today,” she said.
“Let us be the generation that built a stronger, fairer order, one fit for the challenges ahead. The time for action is now.”