Finland’s President Calls for Reform at UN Security Council, Ending Single State Veto

Finland’s President Alexander Stubb has urged reforms to the United Nations Security Council, advocating for an end to the single state veto and the suspension of any member state engaged in an “illegal war,” referencing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Stubb, who leads Finland’s foreign policy, plans to raise these issues during next week’s U.N. General Assembly in New York, reports Reuters from Helsinki.

In an interview on September 17, 2024, Stubb proposed expanding the number of permanent Security Council members from five to ten, suggesting additional representation from Latin America, Africa, and Asia. “No single state should have veto power in the U.N. Security Council,” Stubb told Reuters. His call for reform aligns with similar demands from the United States, which also supports adding two permanent seats for African nations.

Stubb further asserted that any nation engaged in illegal warfare, such as Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, should be removed from the council. Moscow justifies its invasion of Ukraine by claiming it is defending against Western aggression and reclaiming historical Russian territory.

Acknowledging that his proposals go beyond what is typically advocated by smaller U.N. member states, Stubb said that larger nations often resist reforms that would limit their influence. “They talk the talk but don’t walk the walk,” he said, hoping his initiative will gain momentum by the U.N.’s 80th anniversary next year.

Changes to the Security Council’s structure require the approval of two-thirds of the General Assembly, including all five current veto powers: the U.S., Russia, China, France, and Britain. Stubb warned that failure to give more representation to countries from the Global South, Latin America, Africa, and Asia could lead these regions to “turn their backs against the United Nations.”

As a vocal supporter of Ukraine, Stubb also urged Western nations to lift restrictions on the use of donated arms, claiming that such limitations leave Ukraine “with one hand tied behind its back” in its defense against Russia. He also expressed confidence in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s “victory plan” to end the war, stating that 90% of it is already in place.

Stubb downplayed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s nuclear threats, recalling how both the Global South and China previously pressured Putin to back down during earlier nuclear escalations, Reuters concluded.