Erdogan: Current structure of UN Security Council 'unsustainable'
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for a reform of the UN Security Council's structure, saying that the current model is "unsustainable," Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency reported on April 5.
Erdogan's statement comes after Russia assumed the presidency of the UN Security Council (UNSC) in April that sparked international backlash given Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine.
"The current order, which traps the fate of humanity between the lips of five countries, is not sustainable. There is an urgent need for the UNSC to be reformed with an inclusive and encompassing understanding," Erdogan said, as quoted by Anadolu Agency.
The Security Council comprises five permanent members, including the U.S. and Russia, and 10 non-permanent members that the General Assembly chooses for a two-year term.
The Presidency of the United Nations Security Council rotates monthly between 15 member states.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged UN Security Council members on April 1 to "thwart any Russian attempts to abuse its presidency."
In an April 1 tweet, Kuleba called Russia "an outlaw" in the council, arguing that Russia took the place of the USSR as a permanent member of the UN Security Council without legitimate ground, according to the UN charter.
Russia has repeatedly abused its position at the United Nations while attempting to justify its war of aggression against Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the U.N. General Assembly that Russia had “no choice” but to invade Ukraine, U.N. News reported in September 2022.
“I am convinced that any sovereign, self-respecting state would do the same in our stead, which understands its responsibility to its own people," Lavrov claimed, denying Ukrainian sovereignty on an international platform.
