Lithuanian president calls for UN reform as Russia's war in Ukraine continues

VILNIUS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda 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, the presidential press service on Monday.

"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," Nauseda told the UN Summit of the Future.

"Fundamental reforms of this organization, 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," Nauseda added.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, some experts and politicians have criticized 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.

Nauseda 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's important to seize the opportunities offered by the digital transformation to achieve a more sustainable future.