Should the UN Security Council Be Reformed to Better Promote International Peace and Security
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Should the UN Security Council Be Reformed to Better Promote International Peace and Security

Yinan Liu 1*
1 King's College London
*Corresponding author: liuyinan1118@gmail.com
Published on 11 July 2025
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LNEP Vol.108
ISSN (Print): 2753-7056
ISSN (Online): 2753-7048
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-277-5
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-278-2
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Abstract

The effectiveness of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has declined significantly in recent decades, weakening its ability to address contemporary security challenges. This paper examines the underlying causes of this decline, with a particular emphasis on the Council's structural inflexibility and the escalation of geopolitical competition among the P5 member states. It explores the ways in which these factors have impeded timely and effective decision-making, resulting in impasse and protracted humanitarian crises, through a comparative analysis of the Kosovo crisis, the Syrian civil war, and the Ukrainian conflict. The study underscores the challenges presented by the evolving multipolar world, the detrimental consequences of the frequent and strategic use of the veto, and the UNSC's failure to reform its decision-making mechanisms and membership structure. Lastly, the study demonstrates the pressing necessity of targeted reforms to fortify the Council's adaptive capacity and re-establish its role in the preservation of global peace and security in an international system that is becoming increasingly fragmented.

Keywords:

United Nations Security Council, geopolitical competition, veto power, UNSC reform.

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Liu,Y. (2025). Should the UN Security Council Be Reformed to Better Promote International Peace and Security. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,108,1-6.

References

[1]. Mearsheimer, John. 2001. The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. New York: Norton.

[2]. Ikenberry, G. John. 2011. Liberal Leviathan: The Origins, Crisis, and Transformation of the American World Order. JSTOR. STU - Student edition. Princeton University Press. https: //www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt7rjt2.

[3]. Finnemore, Martha, and Kathryn Sikkink. "International Norm Dynamics and Political Change." International Organization 52, no. 4 (1998): 887-917.

[4]. Weiss, Thomas. 2016. “Article Rising Powers, Global Governance, and the United Nations.” Rising Powers Quarterly 1 (2): 7–19. https: //rpquarterly.kureselcalismalar.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/vol1.2-Thomas-Weiss.pdf.

[5]. Thomas George Weiss. 2016. What’s Wrong with the United Nations and How to Fix It. Cambridge, Uk: Polity.

[6]. Sebastian von Einsiedel, David M Malone, and Bruno Stagno Ugarte. 2022. The UN Security Council in the 21st Century.

[7]. Simma, Bruno. 1999. “NATO, the UN and the Use of Force: Legal Aspects.” European Journal of International Law 10 (1): 1–22. https: //doi.org/10.1093/ejil/10.1.1.

[8]. Chesterman, Simon. 2012. “Just War or Just Peace? Humanitarian Intervention and International Law.” Academia.edu. March 10, 2012. https: //www.academia.edu/1469674/Just_War_or_Just_Peace_Humanitarian_Intervention_and_International_Law.

[9]. Malone, David M, and International Peace Academy. 2004. The UN Security Council: From the Cold War to the 21st Century : [a Project of the International Peace Academy]. London: Lynne Rienner.

[10]. Sellström, Åke. 2021. “Lessons from Weapons Inspections in Iraq and Syria.” AJIL Unbound 115: 95–99. https: //doi.org/10.1017/aju.2021.5.

[11]. Eminue, Okon, and Monday Dickson. 2013. “The United Nations Resolutions on Syria: Exploration of Motivation from Russia and China.” https: //core.ac.uk/download/pdf/234670498.pdf.

[12]. “Richard Gowan on Ukraine and How Russia’s War Reverberates at the United Nations.” 2022. Www.crisisgroup.org. September 20, 2022. https: //www.crisisgroup.org/global/richard-gowan-ukraine-and-how-russias-war-reverberates-united-nations.

[13]. Wippman, David. 2001. “Kosovo and the Limits of International Law.” Fordham International Law Journal 25 (1). https: //ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=& httpsredir=1& article=1813& context=ilj& sei-redir=1.

[14]. Marten, Kimberly. 2015. “Putin’s Choices: Explaining Russian Foreign Policy and Intervention in Ukraine.” The Washington Quarterly 38 (2): 189–204.

[15]. Thakur, Ramesh, ed. 2016. “Reforming the United Nations.” Cambridge University Press. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2016. https: //www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/united-nations-peace-and-security/reforming-the-united-nations/7AEB47EACB40CB391DE78F7F3E910E1C.

[16]. Cui, Shunji, and Barry Buzan. 2016. “Great Power Management in International Society.” The Chinese Journal of International Politics 9 (2): 181–210. https: //doi.org/10.1093/cjip/pow005.

[17]. Allison, Graham T. 2017. “Destined for War?” The National Interest 149 (149): 9–21. https: //www.jstor.org/stable/26557386.

References

[1]. Mearsheimer, John. 2001. The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. New York: Norton.

[2]. Ikenberry, G. John. 2011. Liberal Leviathan: The Origins, Crisis, and Transformation of the American World Order. JSTOR. STU - Student edition. Princeton University Press. https: //www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt7rjt2.

[3]. Finnemore, Martha, and Kathryn Sikkink. "International Norm Dynamics and Political Change." International Organization 52, no. 4 (1998): 887-917.

[4]. Weiss, Thomas. 2016. “Article Rising Powers, Global Governance, and the United Nations.” Rising Powers Quarterly 1 (2): 7–19. https: //rpquarterly.kureselcalismalar.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/vol1.2-Thomas-Weiss.pdf.

[5]. Thomas George Weiss. 2016. What’s Wrong with the United Nations and How to Fix It. Cambridge, Uk: Polity.

[6]. Sebastian von Einsiedel, David M Malone, and Bruno Stagno Ugarte. 2022. The UN Security Council in the 21st Century.

[7]. Simma, Bruno. 1999. “NATO, the UN and the Use of Force: Legal Aspects.” European Journal of International Law 10 (1): 1–22. https: //doi.org/10.1093/ejil/10.1.1.

[8]. Chesterman, Simon. 2012. “Just War or Just Peace? Humanitarian Intervention and International Law.” Academia.edu. March 10, 2012. https: //www.academia.edu/1469674/Just_War_or_Just_Peace_Humanitarian_Intervention_and_International_Law.

[9]. Malone, David M, and International Peace Academy. 2004. The UN Security Council: From the Cold War to the 21st Century : [a Project of the International Peace Academy]. London: Lynne Rienner.

[10]. Sellström, Åke. 2021. “Lessons from Weapons Inspections in Iraq and Syria.” AJIL Unbound 115: 95–99. https: //doi.org/10.1017/aju.2021.5.

[11]. Eminue, Okon, and Monday Dickson. 2013. “The United Nations Resolutions on Syria: Exploration of Motivation from Russia and China.” https: //core.ac.uk/download/pdf/234670498.pdf.

[12]. “Richard Gowan on Ukraine and How Russia’s War Reverberates at the United Nations.” 2022. Www.crisisgroup.org. September 20, 2022. https: //www.crisisgroup.org/global/richard-gowan-ukraine-and-how-russias-war-reverberates-united-nations.

[13]. Wippman, David. 2001. “Kosovo and the Limits of International Law.” Fordham International Law Journal 25 (1). https: //ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=& httpsredir=1& article=1813& context=ilj& sei-redir=1.

[14]. Marten, Kimberly. 2015. “Putin’s Choices: Explaining Russian Foreign Policy and Intervention in Ukraine.” The Washington Quarterly 38 (2): 189–204.

[15]. Thakur, Ramesh, ed. 2016. “Reforming the United Nations.” Cambridge University Press. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2016. https: //www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/united-nations-peace-and-security/reforming-the-united-nations/7AEB47EACB40CB391DE78F7F3E910E1C.

[16]. Cui, Shunji, and Barry Buzan. 2016. “Great Power Management in International Society.” The Chinese Journal of International Politics 9 (2): 181–210. https: //doi.org/10.1093/cjip/pow005.

[17]. Allison, Graham T. 2017. “Destined for War?” The National Interest 149 (149): 9–21. https: //www.jstor.org/stable/26557386.

Cite this article

Liu,Y. (2025). Should the UN Security Council Be Reformed to Better Promote International Peace and Security. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,108,1-6.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

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Volume title: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Global Politics and Socio-Humanities

ISBN: 978-1-80590-277-5(Print) / 978-1-80590-278-2(Online)
Editor: Enrique Mallen
Conference website: https://2024.icgpsh.org/
Conference date: 20 December 2024
Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Volume number: Vol.108
ISSN: 2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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