Finnish President Alexander Stubb delivered sharp criticism of international and regional powers that exploit fragile states such as Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as arenas for proxy wars driven by narrow economic or strategic interests.
Addressing the UN General Assembly, Stubb stressed that such policies constitute a blatant violation of international law and a direct undermining of United Nations principles.
“Russia has no right to continue its aggression against Ukraine. Israel has no right to violate international law in Palestine. And no state has the right to use Sudanese or Congolese territory as grounds for proxy wars serving its own interests,” Stubb declared. He added that today’s conflicts represent “a collective failure of humanity and the values upon which the UN was founded.”
The Finnish president warned that the post–Cold War international order has collapsed, and the contours of the new system remain undefined. He emphasized that every UN member state—regardless of size—has the right to help shape that order, but also bears the responsibility to exercise its influence with wisdom and foresight.
He pointed out that the world is witnessing the highest number of armed conflicts since World War II, resulting in “immense human suffering and a grave disregard for the core principles of international law.” He further criticized the UN for failing to fulfill its founding promise of delivering peace and stability.
Stubb also called for comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council, proposing two additional seats for Asia, two for Africa, and one for Latin America, along with an end to the veto system, which he described as an obstacle to international crisis response. He suggested suspending voting rights for any member that violates the UN Charter.
He stressed that the international community must reject turning fragile states into “arenas for settling scores at the expense of civilian lives.”
