Is the United Nations still relevant?

The question of whether the United Nations (UN) is still relevant has become one of the most critical debates in modern international relations. As the organization navigates a highly fractured, multipolar landscape, it faces some of the deepest existential, financial, and political crises in its history.

The debate over the UN’s relevance is characterized by two distinct perspectives: one that views the organization as structurally paralyzed and increasingly obsolete, and another that sees it as deeply flawed but entirely indispensable.

The Case Against: Why the UN Appears Increasingly Irrelevant

Critics of the UN argue that the organization has failed in its primary founding purpose—the maintenance of international peace and security—and is struggling to adapt to the 21st century.

•Geopolitical Paralysis in Major Conflicts: The UN Security Council (UNSC) has been repeatedly deadlocked. The veto power held by the Permanent Five (P5) members (the U.S., Russia, China, France, and the UK) has rendered the Council incapable of taking decisive action on catastrophic wars, including the conflict in Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war and broader Middle East crises, and the devastating civil war in Sudan.

•A Severe Financial and Operational Crisis: The UN is grappling with a severe liquidity crisis, compounded by funding cuts and major powers withholding their dues. Outgoing Secretary-General António Guterres (whose term ends in December 2026) was forced to propose deep budget cuts and the elimination of thousands of posts. This has directly weakened the UN’s capacity to run peacekeeping operations and deliver aid.

•Outdated Power Structures: The UN's architecture still mirrors the global power balance of 1945. Despite representing billions of people, the Global South—including Africa, Latin America, and India—has no permanent representation on the Security Council. This lack of representation has led many developing nations to view the UN as an unrepresentative "great-power protection racket" rather than a fair arbiter of global justice.

•Rising Nationalism and Open Defiance: A growing number of sovereign leaders are openly bypassing or criticizing the UN. For instance, at the UN General Assembly, leaders like Argentina’s President Javier Milei have openly called the UN a "useless organization" controlled by bureaucrats. Major powers frequently bypass UN resolutions, further eroding the authority of international law.

The Case For: Why the UN Remains Indispensable

Despite these severe shortcomings, defenders of the UN—including many diplomats, humanitarian workers, and smaller nation-states—argue that if the UN did not exist, the world would have to invent it.

•The Ultimate Humanitarian Safety Net: While political bodies like the Security Council are paralyzed, UN humanitarian agencies (such as the UNHCR, WFP, and UNICEF) remain the primary lifeline for millions of civilians in active conflict zones. In "forgotten" crises like those in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Myanmar, the UN is often the only international entity capable of delivering food, medicine, and shelter.

•A Crucial Platform for Adversaries: Proponents point out that the UN's greatest achievement is preventing a third world war. As Czech President Petr Pavel noted, "Diplomacy matters most not between friends, but between adversaries." The UN remains the only universal forum where hostile powers—such as the U.S., China, and Russia—are forced to sit at the same table, maintain communication channels, and occasionally negotiate quiet compromises.

•Setting International Norms: The UN is the leading body for establishing global standards on issues that transcend borders. From coordinating international climate change agreements and managing global public health crises to drafting rules for safe Artificial Intelligence development, the UN provides a standardized, rules-based framework that individual nations cannot replicate alone.

•The Focus is on Reform, Not Replacement: Very few nations actually want to dissolve the UN. Instead, the debate centers on how to reform it. Initiatives like the "UN80" revitalization process and the selection of a new Secretary-General to take office in 2027 are viewed as critical opportunities to reshape the UN, make its financial architecture fairer, and grant permanent Security Council seats to underrepresented regions.

Conclusion

Is the United Nations still relevant? The answer depends on what you expect from it.

If the UN is measured by its ability to enforce world peace and stop wars between major powers, it is increasingly ineffective. Its paralysis on hard security issues highlights its structural limitations in an era of intense great-power rivalry.

However, if the UN is measured by its role as a global safety valve—providing humanitarian aid to the world's most vulnerable, keeping communication lines open between nuclear-armed adversaries, and establishing international laws—it remains entirely irreplaceable. In a fragmented world, a flawed United Nations is still widely considered better than no United Nations at all.

Citations (8)

1crisisgroup.orgNonprofits and think tanks
crisisgroup.org
Backs: “As the organization navigates a highly fractured, multipolar landscape, it faces some of the deepest existential, financial, and political crises in its history.”
2unu.eduAcademic
unu.edu
Backs: “As the organization navigates a highly fractured, multipolar landscape, it faces some of the deepest existential, financial, and political crises in its history.”
3un.orgGovernment
un.org
Backs: “Critics of the UN argue that the organization has failed in its primary founding purpose—the maintenance of international peace and security—and is struggling to adapt to the 21st century. Geopolitical Paralysis in Major Conflicts: The UN Security Council (UNSC) has been repeatedly deadlocked.”
4assodesire.comLow provenance
assodesire.com
Backs: “Geopolitical Paralysis in Major Conflicts: The UN Security Council (UNSC) has been repeatedly deadlocked. The veto power held by the Permanent Five (P5) members (the U.S., Russia, China, France, and the UK) has rendered the Council incapable of taking decisive action on catastrophic wars, including the conflict in…”
5securitycouncilreport.orgNonprofits and think tanks
securitycouncilreport.org
Backs: “Geopolitical Paralysis in Major Conflicts: The UN Security Council (UNSC) has been repeatedly deadlocked. The veto power held by the Permanent Five (P5) members (the U.S., Russia, China, France, and the UK) has rendered the Council incapable of taking decisive action on catastrophic wars, including the conflict in…”
6un.orgGovernment
un.org
Backs: “For instance, at the UN General Assembly, leaders like Argentina’s President Javier Milei have openly called the UN a "useless organization" controlled by bureaucrats. Major powers frequently bypass UN resolutions, further eroding the authority of international law.”
7crisisgroup.orgNonprofits and think tanks
crisisgroup.org
Backs: “The Ultimate Humanitarian Safety Net: While political bodies like the Security Council are paralyzed, UN humanitarian agencies (such as the UNHCR, WFP, and UNICEF) remain the primary lifeline for millions of civilians in active conflict zones. In "forgotten" crises like those in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of…”
8unalaser.orgNot yet classified
unalaser.org
Backs: “In "forgotten" crises like those in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Myanmar, the UN is often the only international entity capable of delivering food, medicine, and shelter. A Crucial Platform for Adversaries: Proponents point out that the UN's greatest achievement is preventing a third world war.”