Poland in the UN

On July 22, 2025, Poland participated in the UN Security Council high-level open debate on multilateralism and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

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

Mister President,

At the outset, let me thank you for organizing this important and timely debate.

Excellencies,

In 1942 Poland joined a group of 26 countries that adopted Declaration by United Nations. Subsequently, we became one of the founding members of the United Nations. 80 years after emerging from the scourge of war, the multilateral system and the UN – whose major role is to maintain and uphold peace and security, alongside with human rights and development as two other equally important pillars – face serious and growing challenges. 

From our perspective, multilateralism and the peaceful settlement of disputes are far more than empty phrases. Therefore, we believe we not only have the right – but also the responsibility – to speak up in the face of current troubling realities.

Today, there is a growing tendency to move away from the values that multilateralism embodies. For Poland, multilateralism – first and foremost –  means cooperation among countries based on equal and just rules. Secondly, it rests on the belief that cooperation is more beneficial for all countries concerned than any individual action. Thirdly, it must be built upon a fundamental understanding of common values rooted in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

Nowadays these above-mention values are being undermined in different parts of the world. Some UN member states wish to restore the concert of powers. To reinstate spheres of influence. To bring back subjugation and dependence. To revive old empires.

The restoration of spheres of influence – this is precisely what we are now witnessing in our closest neighborhood, namely in Ukraine – poses a real threat to multilateralism, as it undermines both the principle of sovereign equality among states and the core values of the UN Charter. For centuries, Poland – like the vast majority of the world – was a victim of an international order of this very nature. Having endured painful experiences in our past, we remain firmly committed to defending a world order based on the UN Charter and international law. Respect for human rights is at the heart of this order, especially now, as these rights are being so widely violated.

Mister President,

“International community cannot appease aggression, because violence reproduces by indifference” said Polish FM Radosław Sikorski in his speech at the UN General Assembly  earlier this year. Therefore, we cannot be indifferent now. We need to seek ways how to strengthen multilateralism and reaffirm the UN’s role as the foremost institution dedicated to the effective maintenance of international peace and security. Poland confirms its full commitment in this pivotal mission. In our opinion, the international community should advance it by implementing concrete initiatives such as the Pact for the Future or UN80.

Mister President,

We consider the UN as the most inclusive framework for maintaining global peace and security. No other institution brings together countries of all sizes and various regions in such a fair and cooperative way. At the same time, we recognize that the Security Council has a critical role to play. We therefore expect the Council to support peaceful solutions to disputes, including mediation, negotiation, conciliation, and arbitration. In this light, we reaffirm that it is unacceptable for any member of the Security Council – especially the permanent ones entrusted with the responsibility to uphold peace – to violate the sovereignty of other states. Yet, the veto power must be used with restraint and responsibility, not as a tool to block accountability or protect aggression.

To conclude, Mister President, we strongly believe that only by fully embracing the potential of multilateralism, with the UN at its center, will the international community be able to maintain and uphold international peace and security.

I thank you.