Erdogan Says UN Structure Fails Humanity, Calls for Abolition of Security Council Veto

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the current structure of the United Nations cannot fulfill its promise to humanity, calling for the abolition of the Security Council veto mechanism, according to Anadolu Agency.

"Let the veto mechanism be abolished. Let us move from a UN model that protects only five members to a mechanism that encompasses all members," Erdogan said, referring to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council that currently hold veto power: the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom.

Erdogan's remarks reflect a position he has voiced repeatedly in past addresses to the United Nations, arguing that the veto system concentrates disproportionate power among a small number of states while limiting the ability of the broader international community to act on pressing global issues.

Calls to reform the UN Security Council, including proposals to expand its permanent membership or curtail veto powers, have circulated for years among various member states, though any such changes would require agreement from the current permanent members, including their own veto power over reform measures.

Erdogan's comments come amid the ongoing session of the UN General Assembly in New York, where numerous world leaders are addressing the assembly on a range of global issues, including conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and elsewhere.

It was not immediately clear from the available reporting whether Erdogan's remarks were accompanied by specific proposals for how a reformed UN structure would operate in practice.