Is the United Nations still relevant in a world of growing nationalism and unilateral state action?  

Jack Maxwell, Intern 
19/09/2025

On 29th August the US State Department announced it is denying a visa to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for the upcoming UN General Assembly. This decision made by the Trump Administration echoes that of the Reagan administration, which in 1988 similarly denied the visa of the late Yasser Arafat, citing the former Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) chairman’s links to terrorism. Though separated by decades, both incidents raise the same underlying concern: how effective can the United Nations (UN) be in fulfilling its founding mission when powerful member states act unilaterally and nationalism in on the rise. 

That founding mission traces back to the aftermath of the World War II, when the UN was created to replace the failed League of Nations and prevent future global conflict. It embodied President Woodrow Wilson’s vision of an international order shaped by American values. With universal membership and broad foundation of legally grounded liberal principles, the UN stands as one of the greatest achievements of the 20th century. But today, its future is uncertain. The Trump administration has shown direct contempt for the UN’s liberal framework, while China is on the ascendency with its own distinct vision for international relations. 

Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ policy is not merely an inward turn by the United States but a wrecking ball to the multilateral foundations of the UN. The organisation’s credibility hinges on its ability to be an impartial and open forum, where the leadership of major powers is essential for fostering cooperation. Instead, the United States is choosing to drive division within the UN and by blocking participation erodes trust in the legitimacy of the organisation. In the case of Mahmoud Abbas’ visa, it is not merely a diplomatic slight but a reminder that the UN is only as strong as its most powerful members allow it to be. 

The retreat by the United States has left a vacuum at the centre of the United Nations which China has wasted no time capitalising on. Now the second biggest contributor to the United Nations regular and peacekeeping budgets, China provides 20% of all contributions, almost a 2000% increase in its contribution since 2000. In contrast, the US’ contribution has declined. This has been paired with China’s deliberate strategy to assert influence, including efforts to control key UN agencies such as the World Health Organisation and the International Telecommunication Union. Such moves give Beijing greater scope to shape global norms and standards, leaving the institution vulnerable to a power that does not even pretend to share its values. 

The UN now faces an existential question: can it adapt to a multipolar world where competing powers pursue divergent visions of global governance, or will it become another casualty of great power rivalry? The denial of visas to Palestinian officials is symptomatic of a crumbling liberal international framework and reflects a broader collapse of the liberal framework the UN was built to uphold. 

The General Assembly, once a forum for genuine collective diplomacy, is now at risk of becoming little more than an empty ritual, raising the question of whether multilateralism still holds any real credibility. Ultimately, the organisation’s survival will hinge on its willingness to evolve beyond the crumbling America-led order and confront a world where no single power can uphold universal principles.