Estonia and Lithuania have sharply criticized the United Nations Security Council for its perceived ineffectiveness in dealing with Russia’s ongoing aggression. The leaders argue that because Russia holds a permanent seat with veto power, the Council is unable to act decisively on the issue, particularly in the face of recent incursions into NATO airspace. They emphasize the need for reform, highlighting the Council’s inability to pass binding resolutions on Ukraine since 2022 due to Russia’s continued veto power.
Estonia’s top diplomat, Margus Tsahkna, stated that Moscow is using its position at the UN to shield itself from accountability while escalating its aggression against NATO allies. He pointed out that the permanent member of the Security Council is waging the most aggressive aggression in history after the Second World War in Europe, and reform is long overdue. Lithuania’s foreign minister Kęstutis Budrys echoed these concerns, describing the UN’s 80th anniversary as ‘without the birthday cake, without a lot of love’ because the body’s credibility is crumbling. He questioned the purpose of the UN if countries do not believe it can deliver.
The criticisms came after an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on recent incursions into NATO territory. Last week, three Russian MiG jets equipped with missiles flew into Estonian territory for 12 minutes, coming within 15 miles of the parliament building. A week earlier, 19 Russian drones had entered Polish airspace. The Security Council, which includes permanent members such as the U.S., U.K., France, and China, did not vote on a resolution to condemn these incursions due to Russia’s automatic veto. This has rendered the Council unable to pass binding resolutions on Ukraine since 2022.
Tsahkna expressed pessimism about the possibility of reform, stating, ‘I’m an optimist, but I cannot see this opportunity right now to change it.’ The Security Council has broad powers, including the ability to investigate disputes, hold discussions, issue statements or recommendations, impose sanctions, and even authorize military action when necessary. However, these tools only function when the five permanent members are in agreement, or at least when none of them uses their veto. This structure creates significant limitations when one of the permanent members is the accused party.
While the Security Council remains paralyzed, nations have turned to the U.N. General Assembly, where resolutions carry political weight but are not legally binding. Russia has called reports of the incursions ‘groundless accusations,’ and Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative to the U.N., Dmitry Polyansky, has dismissed them as ‘Russophobic hysteria’ coming from Tallinn. Both Budrys and Tsahkna warned that Russia’s drone and jet incursions into NATO territory are part of a deliberate campaign to test the alliance’s unity.
They argue that without tough action, Putin will continue pushing the limits. Lithuania called for transforming Baltic air policing into true air defense with stronger rules of engagement, while Estonia pressed for additional NATO troops and capabilities. The ministers emphasized that if Russia can change borders by force without consequence in Europe, it will set a precedent elsewhere. Budrys noted, ‘This is not about the frontline nations. It’s about the whole world.’ They stated that while the solidarity demonstrated among allies at the U.N. is great, Russia fears action, not words. Budrys concluded, ‘For Russia, they have to see. They don’t believe in our plans and our protocols. They believe in what they see.’