Germany’s former UN Ambassador to New York, Christoph Heusgen, has expressed serious concerns about the future of the United Nations, offering a sobering assessment of the organization’s track record. In a guest commentary for the “Rheinische Post” Heusgen noted that since its founding, the UN has achieved only limited success in resolving conflicts peacefully.
A key obstacle, he argues, lies in the UN’s restricted means of holding parties accountable when they fail to adhere to peaceful dispute resolution. Referring to historical events from the Cold War through the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Heusgen – who previously led the Munich Security Conference – stated that the UN has been unable to prevent bloodshed. This stems, he emphasized, from the inability of the five permanent members of the Security Council to reach consensus.
Heusgen specifically criticized the stance of former U.S. President Donald Trump, observing that the country whose president, F.D. Roosevelt, was among the founding promoters of the UN, is now turning against the institution. He cited Trump’s rhetoric concerning potential annexations of Panama, Greenland and Canada, suggesting a disregard, or perhaps a lack of awareness, of the violation of the UN Charter. Highlighting what he viewed as the rejection of international rules by Trump – prioritizing might over right – Heusgen contrasted this approach with the fundamental tenets of post-war German foreign policy.
