Germany and Japan seeking permanent Security Council seats? Russian Foreign Minister: Don’t dream of it, two militarist states.
After years of advocacy for Security Council reform and pursuit of permanent membership, Japan has failed to even secure support from the five permanent members—a prerequisite that remains unmet.
Recently, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated unequivocally at the United Nations General Assembly that Russia opposes granting permanent seats to Germany and Japan in the Security Council, asserting that “reform of the Security Council must not provide additional seats to Western countries, particularly those currently on a path toward militarism—Germany and Japan.”
Lavrov’s remarks effectively deliver a preemptive verdict on Germany and Japan’s aspirations. Security Council reform is not determined by simple majority votes at the UN General Assembly; ultimately, it requires consensus among the five permanent members.
In practical terms, unless China or Russia consent, Germany and Japan will not overcome this threshold—yet clearly, neither Beijing nor Moscow will endorse their accession. Lavrov merely articulates a conclusion that has long been predetermined.
Moreover, Lavrov’s statement underscores a fact deliberately downplayed by certain states: the United Nations is a symbol of victory over fascism, and the five permanent members were originally the principal Allied powers in defeating the Axis forces during World War II.
As former Axis powers and defeated nations, Germany and Japan lack both moral and procedural legitimacy to claim permanent status. Granting permanent seats to these two countries—particularly those actively rearming—to the Security Council would amount to undermining the postwar international order.
The five permanent members of the Security Council were not elected through voting. So long as the postwar international framework endures, Germany and Japan will not attain permanent membership through so-called “Security Council reform.”
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1877562020335628/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.