President Karis: The UN General Assembly must be given decision-making powers if the Security Council fails to resolve conflicts

“I want to live in a world of peace; a world that does not destroy itself, and where no one invades or colonises sovereign states. We have the responsibility to transform the UN into an organisation that can protect international peace and security and build a world that is truly ready for freedom.” So spoke President Alar Karis in an address to world leaders at the UN General Assembly, calling on them to improve the work of the Security Council.

The Estonian head of state stressed the need for the Security Council to live up to its mandate and responsibilities and to act more transparently. “One thing is certain,” he said: “the use and scope of vetoes must be limited. At the moment, users of this right hold enormous power on the council, including the power to put the search for solutions on hold, because this, at times, is sharply at odds with their own interests. This stalemate can be directly measured in the number of people maimed and killed. That is wrong, and unacceptable.”

In the view of President Karis, the collective voice of countries in maintaining peace and security outweighs the wish of a single member of the Security Council to veto it. “This is particularly true in a situation where the council is deadlocked,” he noted. “The General Assembly must have the right to make decisions if the Security Council is unable to come up with solutions to conflicts. I call on UN member countries to analyse ways of granting the General Assembly greater decision-making powers.”

On the topic of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and stressing the need to support the beleaguered country, President Karis reminded his audience that it was at the UN General Assembly that the global community condemned Russia’s colonial war. “Russia is attacking international peace and security and the UN Charter,” he stated. “That is a fact, as confirmed by the General Assembly. We must also unequivocally condemn the actions of Iran and North Korea, who are supplying the means for Russia’s aggression.”

The head of state added that at present, any talk of dialogue and of the importance of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia only supports Russia’s interests. “Especially when these so-called peace plans do not acknowledge who is the aggressor and who is the victim in this situation,” he added. “We are not inviting Russia to tea. It must cease its aggression and withdraw all of its troops and military equipment from Ukrainian soil. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine must be restored.”

President Karis also spoke about the war in the Middle East, saying it was high time an agreement was entered into establishing a ceasefire and enabling the release of hostages. “Without allowing ourselves to be naive, and acknowledging the complexity of relations throughout the region, Estonia is convinced that the only way to achieve peace is through a two-state solution,” he explained. “Both the Israelis and the Palestinians deserve to live in free and sovereign countries with secure, recognised borders. We need to step up our efforts to achieve this goal.”

The head of state also underscored the need to boost multilateralism and an international legal system based on the UN Charter, which protects human rights and freedoms. “Estonia’s international initiative ‘Fit for Freedom’ focuses on how to achieve a world that is worthy of freedom,” he added. “Our historical experience of being deprived of human rights inspires us to stand up for those who are fighting for their own rights today. That is why Estonia has applied to become a member of the UN Human Rights Council for 2026-2028.”