Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Tuesday that the world had become hostage to the paralysis of the UN Security Council, calling for reform of the council and stronger UN capacity to act in response to escalating conflicts. He made the remarks in a speech to the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Lula warns of the UN’s declining role
Lula warned that the international organisation was failing to fulfil one of its main duties: protecting humanity from wars. He said its credibility had never been at a lower level than it was now. The United Nations, he added, must restore its ability to launch dialogue and act as a mediator in international crises.
The Brazilian president criticised the UN’s weak response to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, saying that 2025 had seen the highest number of armed conflicts since the Second World War, alongside the spending of trillions of dollars on a new arms race.
Brazil calls for Security Council reform
Lula said concessions to the logic of force had gone beyond all limits, adding that his position was not based on idealism but on what he described as realism. He stressed that war was not a continuation of politics by other means, but rather represented the complete collapse of political action. He called for reform of the UN Security Council as its ability to deal with conflicts involving the competing interests of major powers faltered.
His call formed part of Brazil’s repeated position in favour of expanding the council’s membership and making it more representative of contemporary international balances, as well as reviewing its working mechanisms and use of the veto. Brazil had announced before the start of the General Assembly meetings that Lula would renew his defence of multilateralism and Security Council reform.
The Brazilian president also took part in a meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres before delivering his address to the General Assembly. Lula also addressed the principle of state sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, stressing that Brazil’s democracy belonged to Brazilians and that his country would remain a sovereign state and would not deviate from this path. His remarks came weeks before Brazil’s elections scheduled for October.
On the economic front, the Brazilian president said his country was on course to set a new export record this year, despite the wide-ranging tariffs imposed on the Brazilian economy. Tensions between Brasília and Washington had escalated since the United States imposed tariffs on Brazilian exports.
Lula delivered Brazil’s address at the opening of the 81st session’s general debate, in line with a tradition followed since 1955 that gives Brazil priority to speak before the host country, the United States. The General Assembly’s high-level meetings are being held from 22 to 28 September 2026, with the participation of heads of state and government presenting their positions on international crises and challenges.
