Djuric: The 1999 aggression marked the beginning of the collapse of International Law; Serbia remains a pillar of the defense of the UN Charter

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric stated at a session of the United Nations Security Council that the UN Charter is a document that must either apply equally to everyone or to no one at all, emphasizing that Serbia remains a pillar of the defense of the Charter of the United Nations and the strongest bulwark of peace, both globally and in the Western Balkans. He also stressed that Serbia believes the United Nations must remain the irreplaceable center of the international order.

Djuric thanked China, in its capacity as President of the Security Council, and the Chinese Foreign Minister for organizing the debate entitled “Upholding the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter and Strengthening the International System with the United Nations at Its Core,” describing it as a topic of essential importance for the future of the international order and the preservation of world peace.

He warned that the world today finds itself in a geopolitical hurricane in which armed conflicts, humanitarian crises, economic and energy instability, as well as a deep crisis of confidence in international institutions, are merging into a dangerous vortex threatening to engulf the very foundations of the international order.

He noted that international law is continuously giving way to the interests of powers engaged in geopolitical confrontation.

“What is particularly concerning is that this process increasingly appears not as a temporary crisis, but as a systemic collapse of the existing order. That is precisely why today’s debate goes to the very heart of preserving the credibility of the international order based on the UN Charter. If that document ceases to serve as the universal legal and moral compass of international relations, the world will return to the logic of force, spheres of influence, and the rule of the stronger,” Djuric warned.

He pointed out that the UN Charter was never conceived as a document to be applied selectively — either it will apply equally to all, or it will cease to apply to anyone.

Đurić stressed that for Serbia this is not an abstract issue, since it is a country that experienced firsthand the consequences of the destruction of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter.

“The Pandora’s box of the collapse of international law was opened in 1999, with the aggression against our country carried out without a decision of the UN Security Council. At that moment, it was demonstrated that force could be placed above law, that this Council could be bypassed when its decisions do not suit the powerful, and that sovereignty and territorial integrity are not inviolable if sufficient political and military power exists to violate them. This not only disrupted peace in one country, but also profoundly shook the very foundations of the international legal order,” the Serbian Foreign Minister emphasized.

Once it is shown that the UN Charter is not applied equally to all, no one can convincingly claim that the principles of international law are universal and indivisible, Đurić underlined.

“When a principle is violated for the first time, it ceases to be a principle. Rules that are applied selectively cease to be rules at all,” the minister added.

He recalled that the 1999 war ended with the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, a legally binding document for all UN member states, which clearly incorporated the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, but which has become one of the most violated and neglected documents ever adopted by the Security Council.

Đurić also stated that Serbia believes the United Nations must remain the irreplaceable center of the international order, not because it is perfect, but because there is no credible alternative to a system based on universal rules and the equal participation of all states.

“The response to the crisis of multilateralism is not the search for new formulas, but the courage to return to what we have collectively agreed upon,” Djuric said.

He further recalled that the multilateralism being defended today was not created in times of peace and comfort, but rather from the ashes of two world wars and from the suffering of peoples who paid the highest price for freedom.

“Serbia knows that price well. Few nations can more credibly testify to the sacrifices made in defense of freedom and in defense of the principles upon which the contemporary international system rests: the sovereign equality of states, respect for territorial integrity, and the conviction that universal rules must apply equally to all,” Djuric stated.

He also warned that the moment these principles are abandoned and become selective, the door is once again opened to a world in which only power determines justice and in which one actor seeks to impose domination by force.

Djuric pointed out that Serbia lost around 1.3 million people in World War I — nearly 26 percent of its population at the time.

“Entire generations disappeared. And before those wounds could fully heal, World War II claimed more than one million lives in our country. That is why Serbia does not speak of the Charter of the United Nations, sovereignty, and international law as abstract concepts. For us, these principles have been defended through immense sacrifice and suffering,” the minister said.

He observed that, in a time of profound global change, an increasing number of international organizations are reassessing their working mechanisms while simultaneously seeking to modernize and adapt to new circumstances.

In that context, he said that UN80, the Pact for the Future, and discussions on Security Council reform demonstrate ongoing efforts to ensure that the organization remains effective, relevant, and capable of responding to the challenges of the contemporary world.

“If we want the United Nations to preserve its authority and credibility, I believe we must revitalize the UN system. One perspective is the reform of the Security Council so that it becomes more representative and better adapted to today’s reality. This process must be based on the broadest possible consensus among member states, with greater representation of developing countries, especially Africa. At the same time, proceeding from the need for more balanced and inclusive regional representation, we believe that any future model of Security Council reform should include an additional seat for the Eastern European Group. However, without a genuine return to respect for the UN Charter, no institutional reform will be sufficient,” Djuric stated.

He emphasized that Serbia remains committed to the UN Charter, which guides its relations with all countries of the world, regardless of whether they are large or small, geographically distant or neighboring.

He added that commitment to the values of peace, security, friendly relations, and economic and social progress also characterizes Serbia’s policy toward the world and toward the Western Balkans region.

“Be assured that Serbia remains a pillar of the defense of the UN Charter and the strongest bulwark of peace both globally and in the Western Balkans, despite facing a lack of responsibility from certain regional actors who, judging by the policies they pursue, show little regard for international law and directly endanger the preservation of regional peace and security. We will continue to advocate for a world based on law rather than force, for a world in which rules apply equally to all and where the UN Charter is not a political instrument, but the universal foundation of the international order,” Minister Djuric concluded.

The high-level session was held as part of the current presidency of the China over the United Nations Security Council.

It was opened by António Guterres, who described the UN Charter as “humanity’s survival guide,” warning that there is today a dangerous erosion of respect for international law and increasingly deep divisions among states.

Speakers warned that world peace and development stand at a dangerous crossroads and called for urgent action.