In his last annual priorities speech before leaving office in 2026, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told world leaders that geopolitical divisions, violations of international law and cuts to humanitarian aid are pushing international cooperation toward collapse.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a stark warning to world leaders Thursday, saying international cooperation is being pushed “onto deathwatch” at a moment of escalating global conflict and instability, as he outlined priorities in what will be his final annual address before stepping down next year.
“At a time when we need international cooperation the most, we seem to be the least inclined to use it and invest in it,” Guterres said, warning that some governments are actively undermining the international system and creating what he described as “self-defeating geopolitical divides.”
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“The context is chaos,” Guterres told delegates. “We are a world brimming with conflict, impunity, inequality and unpredictability.”
Without naming specific countries, the secretary-general said widening geopolitical rifts, unpredictable violations of international law and sharp reductions in humanitarian aid are weakening the foundations of global cooperation. His remarks came as international tensions remain high following recent U.S. actions in Venezuela and threats of possible military strikes against Iran.
In one of the most forceful passages of his speech, Guterres said: “That is the paradox of our era: at a time when we need international cooperation the most, we seem to be the least inclined to use it and invest in it,” adding, “Some seek to put international cooperation on deathwatch. I can assure you: we will not give up.”
Addressing ongoing conflicts from Ukraine and Gaza to Yemen and Sudan, Guterres argued that peace cannot be reduced to the absence of armed conflict. “Peace is more than the absence of war,” he said, blaming poverty, underdevelopment, inequality and weak institutions for fueling cycles of violence. “Sustainable peace requires sustainable development.”
“As we meet today, millions are trapped in cycles of violence, hunger and displacement,” Guterres said, urging stronger and more coordinated international action.
On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin echoed concerns about global instability during a separate speech in Moscow, saying the world is on the brink.
“The situation on the international stage is increasingly deteriorating – I don’t think anyone would argue with that – long-standing conflicts are intensifying, and new serious flashpoints are emerging,” Putin said while addressing newly appointed ambassadors at the Kremlin in his first public foreign policy remarks of the year.
Putin did not explicitly mention the United States or President Donald Trump, but criticized what he described as unilateral behavior on the world stage. “We hear a monologue from those who, by the right of might, consider it permissible to dictate their will, lecture others, and issue orders,” he said, adding that Russia remains “sincerely committed to the ideals of a multipolar world.”
“We hope that recognition of this need will come sooner or later,” Putin said. “Until then, Russia will continue to consistently pursue its goals.”
In recent days, Russian officials have also accused Western governments of hypocrisy, arguing it is inconsistent to lecture Moscow on international norms while Washington carries out operations in countries such as Venezuela and threatens new military action against Iran.
Guterres, who is set to step down in 2026 after a decade at the helm of the United Nations, framed his address as both a warning and a call to action, urging world leaders to recommit to multilateralism before what he described as a fragile global order fractures further.
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