President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that the UN General Assembly (UNGA) should be given a real opportunity to overcome the veto of a member of the Security Council.

“If it is impossible to stop the war because all efforts are vetoed by the aggressor or those who condone the aggressor, it is necessary to bring this issue to the attention of the General Assembly. In the event of two-thirds of the votes reflecting the will of nations from Asia, Africa, Europe, both Americas, and the Pacific region – in other words, a global qualified majority – the veto should be effectively overcome, and such resolution of the General Assembly must be legally binding for all Member States,” he said, speaking at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Wednesday.

Zelenskyy said that “the resolutions of the General Assembly have clearly recognized the fact that the only source of this war is Russia. But, this has changed nothing for Russia in the United Nations. However, these are the situations that have changed everything for the UN. We should acknowledge that the Organization finds itself in a deadlock on the issue of aggression.”

According to him, “all in the world see WHAT makes the UN incapable. This seat in the Security Council, which Russia occupied illegally, through backstage manipulations following the collapse of the Soviet Union, has been taken by liars whose job is to whitewash the aggression and genocide being carried out by Russia.”

“And all the UN actions – either by the Security Council or the General Assembly – that could have stopped this aggression, are shattered by the privilege granted to such seats – the seats of permanent members. Veto power in the hands of the aggressor is what has pushed the UN into a dead end,” he stated.

“I regret that so far the UN Security Council is just the largest and the most visible platform in the world. I believe that the UN is capable of more. I am confident that the UN Charter can actually work for global peace and security,” Zelenskyy said.

However, he stressed, “for this to happen, the years-long discussions and projects for UN reform must be translated into a viable process of UN reform. And it should not be only about representation here, in the Security Council. The use of veto power – that is what requires reform, and this can be a key reform. This can be what restores the power of the UN Charter.”