Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has called for a reform of the United Nations and the restoration of a rules-based international order as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues.
The president stressed the importance of maintaining respect for the principles of international law, democracy and freedom, and of preventing Russia from usurping the occupied territories of Ukraine.
“Lithuania calls on the international community to step up its efforts to limit Russia’s ability to continue its colonial war. Russia must be forced to fully withdraw from all Ukrainian territory. Unfortunately, the lack of a multilateral response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine raises serious doubts about the ability of the United Nations to maintain peace and security in the world,” Nausėda told the UN Summit of the Future in New York.
“Fundamental reforms of this organisation, including the Security Council, are clearly needed. The United Nations must be empowered to stop and restrain both current and future aggressors. This would help to ensure not only world peace and security but also sustainable development and human rights,” he added.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, some experts and politicians have criticised the United Nations for its inadequate response to the Kremlin’s aggression and have called for its reform.
Moscow is now using its position as one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and has regularly blocked efforts to hold Russia accountable for its military actions in Ukraine.
Nausėda also stressed the need to tackle the climate crisis and to step up efforts to achieve sustainable development goals.
A lack of financial resources is one of the main obstacles right now, he said, and there’s a need for a global financial architecture that is fairer, more equitable, and able to react more quickly to crises.
The Lithuanian president also stressed that Lithuania is determined to tackle the climate crisis and plans to invest more in renewable energy and innovative technologies.
He also said it is important to seize the opportunities offered by digital transformation to achieve a more sustainable future.
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