Poland in the UN

On 26 January, 2026, Poland participated in the UN Security Council briefing on the rule of law.

The full statement delivered by Krzysztof Szczerski, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the UN in New York, is available below:

Mr. President,

At the outset I would like to thank Somalia for conveying todays debate on the topic that is, without doubt, both pertinent and timely.

Over its 80-year history, the United Nations system has arguably never been confronted with such a profound crisis. The primary reason for this is the gradual erosion of the most fundamental principles of the Charter, which are increasingly and openly violated by a growing number of UN Member States, including permanent member of this Council.

The blatant example of such violation is the ongoing aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, which constitutes a breach not only of the Charter, but also of numerous obligations arising from customary international law and from commitments undertaken by that country within multilateral frameworks.

Poland has long been, and continues to be, a strong and consistent advocate of international law. Our historical record in this regard dates back to medieval times and XVth century political writings of Pawel Wlodkowic.  We have consistently opposed all forms of imperialism, understood as the subjugation of states by other states through the use of force – something that we have also experienced in our own history.

The backbone of Poland’s foreign policy is a vision of international relations grounded in the moral equality of states, mutual respect, and the primacy of law over force. In this context let me highlight key points around Poland’s position in this regard:

• International law must be respected and observed by all states, as well as by international organizations.
• Political considerations can never serve as a justification for the non-observance of existing norms and principles.
• The basic precepts of international law are universal and cannot be affected by regional specificities and cultural differences. If we are to call ourselves the United Nations, we must demonstrate our unity first and foremost through a common approach to international law.
• Accountability is the cornerstone of the entire system. In the absence of effective mechanisms to impose consequences for violations of international law, it risks becoming merely a “fair-weather tool,” dependent on the political will of states at any given moment.

This is precisely why Poland actively supports the international justice system, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.

Furthermore, in response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine, Poland has been actively engaged in the establishment of new mechanisms, notably the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression and the International Claims Commission for Ukraine. We also believe that frozen Russian assets, including those of the Central Bank of Russia and the Russian National Wealth Fund, should be fully utilized to support Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction.

Mr. President,

Today, we note with regret and concern the growing disregard for the core principles of the UN, as well as the inability of this organization to enforce compliance with international law by states that violate it. We see states acting in bad faith, misusing multilateralism and deliberately disregarding their own commitments, including those legally binding.

It is often said that history repeats itself. Some may argue that the current erosion of international law is merely a temporary episode, and that once the international community – tempted by a “might makes right” approach – has caused sufficient harm and committed enough mistakes, it will eventually return to the conclusion that only universally respected rules serve the interests of all. The question we should ask ourselves, however, is this: why should we once again proceed down the same dead-end path before returning to lessons we have already learned?

Thank you, Mr. President.