Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt claims the UN is in a deep crisis due to the US withdrawing from collaborations and not paying its contributions. As the UN General Assembly begins in New York, discussions will focus on the Gaza conflict and the future of the UN. Bildt suggests that a new form of cooperation might be necessary, possibly led by the EU. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelensky and US President Trump are set to meet during the UN week.
Carl Bildt: UN in Crisis, Blames the US
Carl Bildt: UN in Crisis, Blames the US
The UN is in a "deep crisis," according to Sweden's former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Carl Bildt. He attributes this to the US withdrawing from more collaborations and not paying its contributions.
The so-called UN week in New York is underway.
The UN General Assembly begins on Tuesday as the organization celebrates its 80th anniversary.
Much of the focus will be on the Gaza conflict.
But not everything. The other major issue will be the future of the UN, believes Sweden's former Foreign Minister and Prime Minister Carl Bildt (M).
"With a US that does not pay its contributions, the organization is in deep crisis, and to the financial crisis, which also affects humanitarian aid efforts worldwide, must be added the political crisis with a US withdrawing from more global cooperation, whether it concerns climate, health, or anything else," he writes on his blog.
Smaller Budget
The UN struggles with financing.
The background is years of economic problems because not all member states have paid what they should. Since Trump returned to the Oval Office, the US has not paid anything.
It is unclear how Washington will act going forward. The US has previously left several UN agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO).
Secretary-General António Guterres has previously proposed a 15 percent cut in the UN budget for 2026. This means thousands of employees risk being laid off.
Cooperation – in Other Ways?
The crucial question now is whether a UN with less US involvement is possible, according to Bildt. Perhaps the EU, together with a coalition of other countries, could explore the possibilities of a new type of cooperation, he writes:
"Large parts of the rest of the world strive for more cooperation, but it may have to happen in other ways."
Zelensky and Trump Meet
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump will meet in New York on Tuesday during the UN week.
It will be the second time the leaders meet since Trump held a summit with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Alaska in mid-August.
It yielded little result. The Russian attacks on Ukraine have continued.
And the war in Ukraine will not be at the top of the agenda during the UN week, predicts Bildt.
"We should probably realize that for most of the world today, what happens in Gaza and with Palestine is a bigger issue," he writes on his blog.