Safeguarding Global Stability: The EU’s Message to the World at the 80th UNGA

The EU exemplifies how strong regional collaboration is incentivized by aligned economic and political priorities. At the 80th UNGA, EU leaders, such as European Council President Antonio Costa and French President Emanuel Macron, raised a variety of international policy issues. Primarily, they strongly reaffirmed their condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, emphasizing the need for continued support for Ukraine in achieving a just peace treaty. Secondly, EU representatives highlighted the importance of continuing to address climate change and their commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Lastly, they advocated for UN organizational reform aimed at improving economic efficiency by consolidating agencies with overlapping objectives. The representatives also called for restructuring the UN Security Council to make it more inclusive of underrepresented regions, seeking to ensure the UN’s future relevance.

The most widely acknowledged priority of the EU at the UN General Debate was addressing Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the EU has broadly condemned Russian aggression and demanded its immediate withdrawal from Ukrainian territory. At the 80th UNGA, EU leaders echoed this sentiment, reaffirming their commitment to support Ukraine throughout the war and after its end. In his speech before the General Assembly, European Council President Antonio Costa stated, “The European Union stands firm in supporting Ukraine in its fight for a just and lasting peace.” Costa showcased the EU’s plan to facilitate a safe Ukraine by assisting with its reconstruction, providing security guarantees, and supporting its accession to the EU. Although the majority of EU member states support these priorities for Ukraine, outliers like Hungary advocate for a swift resolution to the war that does not include security guarantees or Ukrainian EU membership. 

The EU’s strong support for Ukraine stems from its view that Russia’s invasion is a threat to the “rules-based” world order that protects the stability of the European continent. According to the EU, the “rules-based” order refers to the current system of international norms, laws, and institutions that disincentivize aggression. Currently, international law forbids the use of force as a means to undermine the sovereignty of another state. By violating this law through its invasion of Ukraine, EU leaders argue that Russia is actively eroding the norms that uphold global stability. In his speech at the UNGA, French President Emanuel Macron stressed that allowing Russia to prevail would signal to the world that “might is right,” encouraging future violations of international law by other states seeking increased influence or territorial expansion. For the EU, such a shift would directly endanger its security by leaving smaller member states more vulnerable to coercion and invasion. Therefore, the EU’s support for Ukraine is, in large part, a strategic effort to maintain a system that protects its own security.

The second priority emphasized by EU leaders was ensuring the continuation of global efforts to combat climate change. As a result of increasing international conflict and a rise in right-wing populist movements, international focus has shifted away from collective climate action. In his speech, Costa addressed this issue by affirming that “climate change is not fake news,” noting that the destruction caused by it is “very real.” He encouraged international collaboration to reduce emissions, as all nations share the burden of the severe consequences accompanying a delayed response. Hoping to inspire others to take action, he restated the EU’s commitment to the 2030 Plan, an environmental pact aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030 through a series of economic and tax reforms, such as energy and transport regulation. The successful implementation of said reforms would enable the EU to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Although most EU states have committed to these reforms, some, such as Italy, oppose them due to economic concerns like job losses and negative impacts on the automotive industry, instead favoring more gradual alternatives. 

Despite some disagreement on the specifics of climate reform measures, most EU leaders agree that allowing climate change to continue unabated would be a grave security threat. The devastating impacts of contemporary climate change are already evident in the increased intensity of natural disasters. Just in the past few months, Mediterranean countries have faced severe flooding compounded by global warming, which resulted in hundreds of deaths and significant infrastructure damage. If allowed to progress, climate change will diminish the supply of food and habitable land, leading to an economic and displacement crisis that could destabilize EU nations. Due to these consequences, the EU is working to ensure that climate change is not overlooked amid mounting global tensions. However, the current lack of political willingness to collaborate on this issue presents a serious challenge. Since an international commitment to reducing emissions is required to stop climate change, the EU will have to find ways to incentivize widespread action. 

The final priority addressed by EU leaders was advocating for UN reforms that would ensure the organization’s future relevance and increase its effectiveness. Throughout the UN’s tenure, it has received criticism from numerous international actors for various reasons. Some, especially those outside the West, view the UN as severely imbalanced and controlled completely by the interests of the great powers. Additionally, others believe that the UN is a waste of resources and is unable to address global crises meaningfully. Costa attempted to mitigate these concerns by demonstrating the EU’s commitment to organizational reform. Specifically, he promised that the EU would “work to make the United Nations more inclusive, representative, and effective” by implementing the “UN 80 Reform Initiative” and “the UN Pact for the Future.” The UN 80 Reform Initiative is an agreement that seeks to change the way UN funds are allocated, aiming to increase the UN’s efficiency and make it more responsive to crises. The UN Pact for the Future addresses power imbalances by reforming the UN Security Council to include more representation for African countries. 

By committing itself to organizational reforms, the EU hopes to encourage continued universal participation in the UN. According to the EU, the UN plays a crucial role in upholding global stability and multilateral cooperation. If states stopped engaging with the UN due to a perceived lack of representation or benefit, its power to prevent conflict would diminish. In his speech, Macron stated that the UN is an organization that “cannot be replaced” and that its presence prevents selfish actors from exerting domination over others. In other words, the UN helps to uphold the “rules-based” international order that the EU strives to protect. For the UN to remain relevant in the future, the EU must ensure that its proposed reforms are implemented effectively.

Ultimately, the EU’s engagement at the 80th UNGA was shaped primarily by its desire to protect the security of its members by defending the rules-based international order and preserving the multilateral institutions on which it relies. Although internal disagreements persist due to shifting domestic political landscapes, the EU nevertheless presented a broadly unified vision for solving the problems facing the international system. Whether or not the EU can turn this vision into a reality will depend on its members’ ability to generate global support and reconcile domestic political pressures with the broader strategic ambitions of the organization.