Finland’s President Seeks Elimination of Single State Veto at UN Security Council, Reports Reuters

By Anne Kauranen

HELSINKI – Finland’s President Alexander Stubb has advocated for the expansion of the U.N. Security Council, the elimination of its single-state veto power, and the suspension of any member involved in an "illegal war," referencing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Stubb, who oversees the Nordic nation’s foreign policy, plans to support these reform proposals during the upcoming U.N. General Assembly in New York, which will address the composition of the Security Council.

The Security Council currently comprises five permanent and ten rotating member states, tasked with maintaining global peace. However, geopolitical tensions have led to a deadlock on critical issues, ranging from the situation in Ukraine to conflicts in Gaza.

In a recent interview, Stubb proposed increasing the number of permanent members from five to ten. His suggestion includes adding one member from Latin America, two from Africa, and two from Asia. He emphasized that "no single state should have veto power in the U.N. Security Council."

The United States, one of the five nations with veto power alongside Russia, China, France, and Britain, has also shown support for additional permanent seats for African nations.

Stubb asserted that any member participating in an illegal conflict, "like Russia is currently in Ukraine," should be expelled from the Council. Moscow has defended its actions in Ukraine by claiming it is establishing a buffer against Western aggression and reclaiming historically Russian territory.

SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE

Stubb acknowledged that his Security Council reform ideas might seem ambitious for representatives from smaller member states, but he stressed that larger nations are hesitant to weaken their own influence. He expressed hope that others would help advance these proposals before the U.N.’s 80th anniversary next year.

Any amendment to Security Council membership would require approval from two-thirds of the General Assembly, including all five veto-holding nations.

"My fundamental message is that if countries from the global South—Latin America, Africa, and Asia—do not gain agency within the system, they will turn their backs on the United Nations. That is something we need to avoid," he stated.

Stubb, a former Finnish prime minister and European parliamentarian who took office as president in March, voiced strong support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who is expected to address the U.N. Assembly about his "victory plan."

"He has conveyed that 90% is already in place, and the remaining 10% he will outline is essential for securing a win in this conflict," Stubb explained. He urged Western nations to eliminate restrictions on the use of donated arms, which he claimed leave Ukraine "with one hand tied behind its back."

"We must allow that hand to be free and enable Ukraine to respond to what Russia is doing to it," he stated.

Stubb dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threats of nuclear escalation, recalling that during previous aggressive rhetoric about nuclear weapons, the global South and China effectively told Putin to cease such provocations.