Soon no more veto in the UN Security Council? Russian invasion puts veto under pressure | abroad

At that meeting with all 193 representatives, the states that exercised their veto must explain why they did so. The resolution should put more pressure on the veto states to waive their prerogative to block any binding resolution by the powerful UN Council.

Russia, China, the United States, Great Britain and France, the most powerful countries after World War II, were given this veto as a compromise in the creation of the United Nations. Since 1946, it has been used mainly by Russians and Americans, more than two hundred times. China has been doing this more and more in recent years, but overall much less than Russia and the United States. The last time France and Britain used their veto was in 1989.

India, Germany, Japan and Brazil do not see the current balance of power in the world reflected in the Security Council, and have been trying to achieve reform for years. The need for this has become more evident recently with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As a permanent member of the council, the aggressor prevented any action to de-escalate the conflict. Soon there were calls for sanctions or even exclusion from Moscow.

However, according to the UN Charter, this is almost impossible, because Russia can also veto restrictions on its rights in the Security Council. The Russian delegate did not strongly oppose the decision during Tuesday’s plenary meeting, with the United States even voting in favor of it. The fact that they now have to justify their veto against all members of the United Nations may be upsetting, but it does not diminish their power.