In this crisis we seem to have very low expectation of the UN, we shrug and say, ‘well Russia has a veto; we cannot do anything; the UN is broken’. Really?I’m not at all convinced that this is impossible, it’s a matter that requires the sort of political vision and will that seem to be in such short supply these days.
The Nuremberg declaration identified 4 crimes (aggression, war crime, crimes against humanity and genocide). Aggression is the key here – a case should be made that Russia has forfeited its right to a permanent seat on the security council by launching a war of aggression.
Perhaps this would re-open the debate about other members of the Security Council. Britain and France are permanent members of the Security Council because they are ex-colonial world powers, surely it is time for this to be given up and then perhaps the EU could take up a place. Russia would not need to feel so humiliated if it was in the company of other ex-world powers. Non-aligned and sceptical powers may be persuaded to act against Russia (or abstain, to allow others to do so) if their way to better representation in the UN was to open up. The point is it doesn’t have to be easy, the UN is the only institution we have and we are simply not thinking creatively enough about balancing ends and means.
The article by Fergal Keane, already quoted, also covers some reform proposals for the UN and International Law by Phillip Sands QC and Professor Mukesh Kapila