A prominent German voice has expressed concerns regarding the future effectiveness of the United Nations, citing a limited track record of peaceful conflict resolution. Christoph Heusgen, former German Ambassador to the United Nations in New York and recent director of the Munich Security Conference, detailed a sobering assessment of the institution’s performance in a recent contribution to the “Rheinische Post.
Heusgen pointed out that the UN’s success in resolving conflicts peacefully has been constrained since its inception. A key factor, he explained, lies in the limited mechanisms available to hold parties accountable when they fail to adhere to peaceful dispute settlement processes.
The assessment outlines a history of unrealized preventative action, citing instances ranging from the Cold War era to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Heusgen attributes these failures, in part, to the Security Council’s inability to achieve consensus among its five permanent members.
Specifically, Heusgen criticized the stance of former U.S. President Donald Trump, highlighting the irony of a nation whose president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, played a pivotal role in the UN’s founding now demonstrating opposition to the organization. Heusgen observed a disregard for the UN Charter in Trump’s public statements regarding the potential annexation of territories like Panama, Greenland and Canada, citing a preference for “the law of the stronger over the strength of the law” reminiscent of authoritarian leadership styles. This approach, Heusgen stated, stands in stark contrast to the principles underlying post-war German foreign policy.