Opinion / Christopher Cermak

Matters of perspective

When I interviewed the UN’s secretary-general, António Guterres, two years ago, with coronavirus vaccines on the horizon and a measure of stability returning to the global order, he spoke of “shoots of hope”. On Monday, sitting next to Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov (pictured, centre), Guterres had to admit that the risk of conflict among world powers is at a “historic high”.

Throughout April, Russia has been chairing the UN Security Council (the presidency rotates among the 15 member states monthly). On Monday I watched Lavrov preside over an Orwellian debate on “effective multilateralism”; yesterday he chaired another on the Middle East, despite stiff objections from Israel, which was marking its Remembrance Day. Ahead of this week, Western diplomats debated whether to snub Lavrov or challenge him in public. In the end, he was flanked by scowling UN ambassadors, while various foreign ministers denied him the satisfaction of their attendance.

Is there any point to the Security Council in this polarised environment? Rein Tammsaar, Estonia’s ambassador to the UN, tells me that he wishes Lavrov had been denied a visa to enter the US and that, if it were up to him, the UN would focus exclusively on resolving the war in Ukraine. Instead, he says, the council is operating on two tracks: “paralysed” on the subject of Ukraine but continuing with other business.

Tammsaar recognises that not all ambassadors share Estonia’s priorities. What is happening in Ukraine is terrible, yes – but so are climate change, which threatens entire island nations, and a debt crisis that could bankrupt half of the developing world.

Brazil’s UN ambassador condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but also criticised “kneejerk” sanctions that disregard the effect on third-party countries. However maddening it is to listen to Lavrov pervert the truth, being at the UN opens your eyes to different perspectives. That alone is enough reason to keep this flawed, deliberative institution afloat.

Christopher Cermak is Monocle’s Washington correspondent. For more opinion, analysis and insight, subscribe to Monocle today.