Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the world has coalesced into two opposing blocs: NATO—comprising most of Europe, the United States, Canada, Japan and South Korea—versus Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and India.
Each side aids its allies through weapons, trade or troops. Yet negotiations to end the conflict have stalled, largely due to Vladimir Putin’s reluctance to engage. NATO continues to supply arms while avoiding direct troop confrontation, mindful of Russia’s nuclear arsenal. The result is a protracted stalemate that risks widening into a global war.
If the Ukraine-Russia conflict escalates, it could trigger World War III. The United States faces a choice: Continue supplying weapons and sanctions in hopes of forcing Putin to negotiate—or take a more visionary approach by addressing the root cause of war itself.
Most nations still resolve disputes through the law of force, not the force of law. Yet the European Union offers a model for peace: Once bitter enemies, France and Germany now settle disagreements through the European Parliament and courts, not battlefields.
Why has the EU succeeded where the United Nations has not? Because the UN operates on treaty law—voluntary agreements without the enforcement mechanisms of real law. The UN cannot compel nations to act against their perceived interests, leaving it largely ineffective in preventing war.
What’s needed is a reformed, democratic and empowered United Nations—one capable of enforcing international law rather than merely recommending it. Under Article 109 of the UN Charter, member nations can convene a conference to modernize the institution and create a true system of global governance based on enforceable law.
Such reform would not instantly end the Russia-Ukraine war, but it would establish the framework to prevent future conflicts. The alternative—a continued slide toward greater war and destruction—is untenable. It is time for the world’s nations to invoke Article 109 and begin building a new UN, one designed not for another century of war, but for lasting peace.
Jerry Tetalman is the chair of the development committee of Citizens for Global Solutions.
