With the signing of the United Nations Charter in 1945, countries established a new institution with three founding pillars: peace and security, human rights, and development.

In 2015, UN members committed to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals that still remain relevant. Alongside environmental crises and growing inequalities, devastating conflicts are escalating in many parts of the world — such as Gaza, Lebanon, and Sudan.

Since 2022, Russia - a permanent member of the UN Security Council - has continued to undermine the foundations of the UN Charter through its illegal, unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine.

The principles the UN Charter remain as relevant today as they were nearly eight decades ago, and we share a collective responsibility to uphold and promote them.

The UN serves as the world’s indispensable compass, and anchor of stability in uncertain times.

This year, we pay special tribute to all dedicated UN staff, particularly those who lost their lives while on duty and those who face threats in conflict zones. We deplore attacks against UN agencies and peacekeepers. All actors in conflict must safeguard UN personnel and respect the inviolability of UN premises.

We fully support the UN Secretary-General’s call for “peace in all its dimensions” and his efforts to achieve global peace.
We remain steadfast in supporting the UN’s mission to end impunity and ensure accountability for violations of international law and international humanitarian law. The decisions of international courts must be implemented.

The adoption of the UN Pact for the Future in September sends a clear message that the global demand for multilateralism remains strong. It charts a path toward a more just, inclusive, and effective international system.

It is therefore high time to reform the United Nations Security Council, to better reflect today’s world. Only through an effective and representative rules-based international order can we aspire to global peace and prosperity for all.

On United Nations Day, the European Union reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the United Nations and the enduring principles of the UN Charter.

The EU will always stand with and in defence of the United Nations.