UN General Assembly
2014

The events of the past months fill us with sadness. We have entered another grim era of conflicts. What has happened in Ukraine and in Syria and Iraq illustrates that. The core values and rules on which the United Nations is based have been violated. The crisis in Ukraine has a deep impact on the security of Europe. We have not experienced such breakdown since the tragedy of the Balkan wars. But I want to stress that Ukraine is not only a question limited to Europe. It should — and eventually will — concern all of us. A rule-based international system is a precondition for peace and security, for human rights and development. If we cease to protect this system, it will cease to protect us. It would be a dramatic and far-reaching mistake to let our rule-based order slip towards chaos and the law of the jungle. Unfortunately, the Security Council has not been able to uphold its responsibilities either in Ukraine or in Syria. We need to reform the Security Council. Finland supports the