London, UK | September 24, 2025

UN’s Principles “Under Siege,” Guterres Warns

In a somber address to the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a stark warning that the founding principles of the UN are “under siege” by a new era of global challenges. Guterres told world leaders that the “pillars of peace and progress are buckling under the weight of impunity, inequality, and indifference,” pointing to a world where international law is increasingly disregarded and conflicts are spiraling out of control.

Headline Points

 * UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned the UNGA that the organization’s core principles are “under siege” and that global peace is being eroded.

 * Guterres pointed to a series of crises, including the wars in Sudan and Ukraine, but reserved his strongest condemnation for the conflict in Gaza, calling the scale of death and destruction “beyond any other conflict in my years as secretary-general.”

 * The Secretary-General’s address comes on the heels of another U.S. veto in the UN Security Council, which once again blocked a resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.

 * The speech follows a separate address by U.S. President Donald Trump, who used his own UNGA platform to criticize the UN as a “feckless” institution.

 * Guterres called on the UN Security Council to be “more representative, more transparent, and more effective” to address the world’s most pressing issues.

The Collapse of Law and Order

Guterres did not mince words in his “state of the world” address. He spoke of an “age of reckless disruption and relentless human suffering” where the world faces a choice between a “world of raw power” and a “world of laws.” His remarks were a clear rebuke of the actions of countries that have violated the principles of sovereignty and human rights. He referenced the invasion of “sovereign nations” and the “weaponization of hunger” as grave threats to global stability.

While he did not name countries directly, his comments were widely understood to be a critique of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in Sudan, where he said civilians were being “slaughtered, starved, and silenced.” Guterres also highlighted the deepening climate crisis, rising seas, and the “silencing of truth” as further evidence of a breakdown in international cooperation.

The Gaza Crisis and UN’s Ineffectiveness

The Secretary-General’s most forceful comments were reserved for the conflict in Gaza. He described the “horrors” of the conflict, stating that the scale of “death and destruction” is the worst he has seen in his nearly nine years as UN chief. He lamented that despite the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issuing “legally binding” provisional measures to protect Palestinians, “the killing has intensified” and a “famine has been declared.” This crisis has become a central point of contention for the UN, as it has repeatedly failed to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire.

The UN’s inability to act is largely due to repeated vetoes by the United States. Just last week, the U.S. once again vetoed a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the release of all hostages. The U.S. stated that the resolution was flawed because it did not explicitly condemn Hamas and failed to acknowledge Israel’s right to self-defense. This has led to accusations from other members and international observers that the UN’s most powerful body is paralyzed and unable to fulfill its mandate to maintain international peace and security.

Trump’s Shadow Over the UN

Guterres’s warning about the principles of the UN being “under siege” was especially poignant coming just one day after a fiery address by U.S. President Donald Trump, who used his own platform to launch a full-on assault against the organization. Trump, in his speech, called the UN a “feckless, corrupt, and pernicious global force” that is filled with “empty words” and “strongly worded letters” that fail to solve wars. He also accused the UN of “funding an assault on Western countries” by supporting migration and refugee programs.

Trump’s speech echoed his long-standing criticism of the UN and multilateral institutions, framing them as a threat to national sovereignty. His remarks, along with the U.S. government’s repeated use of the veto to block action on Gaza, have placed the UN in a precarious position. The organization is under pressure from two sides: on one hand, it is being challenged by a powerful member state that questions its very purpose; on the other, it is failing to act on a humanitarian crisis that many see as a test of its moral authority.