US Foreign Policy and international law are at a breaking point warns UN chief
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UN Secretary-General António Guterres isn’t holding back in his final months on the job. He told the BBC that the United States often acts like it’s above the law.
He believes Washington now thinks global deals and multilateral solutions aren’t useful anymore. This shift is putting the core principles of the United Nations in serious danger.
It’s a blunt take from a man who has seen the world’s biggest fights from the inside. He’s worried that when big countries do whatever they want, the rest of the world loses its safety net.
The UN chief says we are seeing a trend where power matters more than the legal rules we all agreed on. It’s a wake-up call for every nation that relies on global stability.
The numbers and recent history back up his concerns about a messy world. Guterres pointed to the US strike on Venezuela and the seizure of its president as proof of rising tensions.
He also mentioned Donald Trump’s repeated talk about trying to annex Greenland. To the UN chief, this is part of a trend of unpredictability that makes diplomacy nearly impossible.
Trump has openly questioned why the UN even exists. He’s claimed he ended wars on his own without any help from the organization.
Guterres admits the UN doesn’t have much leverage against the biggest powers. These countries often use their weight for quick fixes instead of solving the real roots of a problem.
The Security Council is another major sticking point for the outgoing leader. He described it as ineffective and a poor fit for the modern world we live in today.
The five permanent members use their veto powers to protect their own interests. This has stalled peace efforts in places like Ukraine and Gaza for way too long.
For nations like Germany or the Netherlands, these shifts are a major concern. These countries rely on steady trade and clear international rules to keep their economies healthy.
Guterres pointed out that Europe actually has too much power in the current UN setup. With three permanent seats for European nations, it doesn’t match how the world looks in 2026.
In Gaza, the situation has shown the limits of UN power. Israel blocked aid for long periods, leading to hundreds of deaths at distribution sites while the UN watched from the sidelines.
At one point, Israel even backed a private contractor to handle aid instead of working with the UN. This move directly challenged the organization’s role in humanitarian crises.
Analysts warn that the UN is struggling to stay relevant. They say 1945 problem-solving structures just can’t handle the high-tech and fast-moving conflicts of today.
In other parts of the world, like Iran, regime forces have killed thousands of protesters. The UN’s inability to stop these brazen violations of human rights is drawing more criticism.
The “death of multilateralism” is a phrase you’re going to hear a lot more often. It means countries are giving up on working together and choosing to go it alone instead.
However, some experts argue that the UN is still the only place where everyone can talk. They say without it, the world would be even more chaotic than it is now.
Guterres is scheduled to leave his role as Secretary-General at the end of this year. He’s leaving behind a list of proposed reforms to change how the Security Council works.
He wants to limit veto powers so one country can’t block progress for everyone else. He believes that if the powerful aren’t confronted, we can’t build a better world.
Despite the “dramatic problems” facing the 193 member states, the UN head says he stays positive. He thinks people still want a world where rules actually mean something.
The next few months will show if the world is ready to fix the system or let it crumble. All eyes are now on who will take his place and lead the next chapter.