The Impact of Transformations in the International System on the Future of the United Nations Security Council in Light of Contemporary International Conflicts

Abstract

The Security Council is the cornerstone of the United Nations and, according to its Charter, primarily responsible for maintaining international peace and security. However, this council has never been immune to political rivalries; rather, it has always been a reflection of the power structure in the international system. Since the end of the Cold War, the world has witnessed dramatic polarization shifts, moving from a rigid bipolar world order through the era of American unipolarity, to the current reality characterized by an emerging multipolarity in which major powers compete for spheres of influence and shape the rules of the new world order. The Security Council is the cornerstone of the United Nations and is primarily responsible, according to its Charter, for maintaining international peace and security. The Russian-Western rivalry, especially in the context of the Ukrainian crisis, is one of the most prominent challenges facing the Security Council in the modern era. The Council has transformed from an instrument for maintaining international peace and security into an arena for direct diplomatic confrontation. Thus, we see that the Security Council suffers from a deep gap between legal representation (the 1945 structure) and the current geopolitical reality, after the five permanent members, especially in current international conflicts (especially the Russian-European-American conflict) and (the American-China rivalry), have become paralyzed in making crucial decisions. Therefore, alternative paths have emerged, appearing in attempts to establish parallel security frameworks outside the umbrella of the United Nations, and through what has been recently proposed regarding a peace council or regional initiatives led by the rising power. This threatens the position of the Security Council and its future with regard to limiting the veto power and expanding membership.