This week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the United Nations Security Council. The speech was a direct consequence of Russian atrocities in Ukraine, including the brutal executions of Ukrainian civilians in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv. However, that is the Russian method of attacking infrastructure and civilian buildings in a terror campaign. It is possible that the Security Council may have gotten more than it bargained for.
Zelensky is, of course, right. He is absolutely right. The UN isn't doing anything since it doesn't have the capacity. The five permanent members of the UN Security Council are the remnants of World War II. There is no justification to allow Britain, France, or Russia to exercise veto power, aside from having nuclear weapons. Russia is one of them. It does not have the right to hold a permanent- member seat. It has managed to secure the seat of the defunct USSR, despite an absolute absence of legitimacy. Its ownership over the empty USSR seat should have been decided by the General Assembly by vote–an alternative from the European Union or a Third World choice such as India or Brazil would have made more sense. To add insult to insanity, Russia also has a place on the UN's Human Rights Council.
What the UN has clearly demonstrated is the same thing President Donald Trump has often said about it. It's a non-profit organization that is there to create jobs for the wealthy, who would like to be part of the international elite.
At one point, it seemed that the UN might be justified, since the existence of a global forum is a great thing. But with events in Somalia, Rwanda and Burma, we are witnessing that the UN is unable to safeguard those in need or to ensure that the international order is maintained. It might be time for us to reconsider our participation in this organization and begin the process of making bilateral agreements when needed.
