EU-UN Cooperation
Expected Council Action
In April, the Security Council will hold its annual meeting on strengthening European Union (EU)-UN cooperation under the agenda item “Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in maintaining international peace and security”. Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, is expected to brief.
Background and Key Recent Developments
Strengthening cooperation with regional and sub-regional organisations—as envisioned in Chapter VIII of the UN Charter—has become an increasingly prominent theme for the Security Council. The Council has maintained the practice of holding annual briefings on cooperation between the EU and the UN since 2010, although these briefings were not held in 2012 and 2018. Since 2013, Council members have also held annual informal meetings with members of the EU Political and Security Committee. In 2014, the Council adopted a presidential statement welcoming the EU’s cooperation with the UN and its contributions towards the maintenance of international peace and security and its involvement in international negotiations and mediation processes.
The EU and its member states are among the largest contributors to UN financing, providing, as at September 2025, approximately 22 percent of the regular budget, 21 percent of peacekeeping funding, and more than one third of all voluntary contributions. In addition to troop and police contributions by EU member states to UN peace operations, the EU also deploys its own civilian and military missions under the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), in some cases alongside UN missions. Around 4,000 military and civilian personnel are currently deployed across 21 ongoing CSDP missions and operations.
Council briefings on EU-UN cooperation have generally addressed areas of common concern between the two organisations, focusing on the EU’s main foreign policy priorities and objectives and addressing current crises on the Security Council’s agenda. This year, the war in Ukraine, now in its fifth year, and the rapidly escalating crisis in the Middle East are expected to be the central focus of Kallas’ briefing.
Four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the European Council has reaffirmed its continued unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, and the EU is continuing to provide comprehensive political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military, and diplomatic support to Ukraine. In December 2025, the European Council agreed to provide a loan to Ukraine of 90 billion euros for the years 2026–2027, a loan to be repaid by Ukraine only once reparations from Russia are received. Since the start of the war in February 2022, the EU has adopted 19 packages of sanctions against Russia. The European Council has urged Russia to agree to a full, unconditional, and immediate ceasefire and engage in meaningful negotiations towards a just and lasting peace, underscoring that borders must not be changed by force and that Ukraine’s long-term security and ability to defend itself must be guaranteed.
The outbreak of armed conflict in the Middle East has significantly altered the geopolitical context in which this year’s briefing will take place. The escalating crisis started on 28 February when the US and Israel launched airstrikes on multiple sites and cities across Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several other Iranian officials. Iran responded with missile and drone strikes against Israel and several other countries in the region that host US bases. On 1 March, the EU called for maximum restraint, protection of civilians, and full respect of international law, including the principles of the UN Charter and international humanitarian law. The EU also stated that Iran’s attacks and violations of sovereignty were inexcusable and that Iran must refrain from indiscriminate military strikes.
On 11 March, the Security Council adopted resolution 2817, submitted by Bahrain on behalf of the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as Jordan. The resolution, which was co-sponsored by 136 UN member states, including all 27 EU member states, condemned Iran’s “egregious attacks” against its regional neighbours and determined that such acts constituted a breach of international law and a serious threat to international peace and security. Since its adoption, the EU has called on Iran and its proxies to immediately cease attacks in line with resolution 2817, adding that it stands ready to contribute to all diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions and bring about a lasting solution to end the hostilities and prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
The Strait of Hormuz crisis has added a further dimension to the EU’s maritime security profile. Since Iran’s effective closure of the strait following the outbreak of hostilities, the European Council has condemned any acts that threaten navigation or prevent vessels from transiting the strait, and has called for the EU’s Naval Force Operations ASPIDES and ATALANTA to be reinforced with additional assets. Kallas has indicated that the EU is exploring the possibility of expanding the scope of those missions or establishing a new framework analogous to the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The crisis has materially affected European energy markets, with European gas prices surging following strikes on Qatari liquefied natural gas infrastructure.
Kallas is also likely to express concern about continuing insecurity in several African contexts, including Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and may also underscore the importance of the EU’s partnership with the AU on peace and security issues. In this regard, she could highlight regular EU-AU consultations, the EU’s continued support for African peace and security initiatives, including through the European Peace Facility, and cooperation on issues such as maritime security and support for Somalia’s security transition. Kallas may also reiterate support for efforts to secure more predictable and sustainable financing for AU-led peace support operations, including through the implementation of resolution 2719 on access to UN-assessed contributions.
Council Dynamics
Under Article 34 of the Treaty on European Union, EU member states serving on the UN Security Council are to “defend the positions and interests of the EU”. There are currently four EU member states serving on the Council: Denmark, France, Greece, and Latvia. The UK, which ceased to be a member of the EU on 31 January 2020, has on occasion joined EU members in making joint statements.
Another factor that may shape EU-UN dynamics is the evolution of Europe’s fiscal and security priorities. While the EU and its member states remain among the largest financial contributors to the UN system and continue to underline their support for multilateralism and the work of the UN, they have taken steps in recent years to increase defence spending and mobilise additional resources for European defence readiness. Over time, this trend may influence how the EU approaches discussions on burden-sharing, mandate efficiency, and resource allocation across the multilateral system, including in relation to UN financing and operations.
Russia’s intervention at this year’s briefing is likely to reflect the broader deterioration in EU-Russia relations since 2022. Following Kallas’ briefing at the March 2025 briefing on EU-UN cooperation, Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia (Russia) delivered a critique of the EU’s position on Ukraine that also included personal remarks about Kallas, whom he described as “an outspoken Russophobe”, while invoking statements she had made before assuming her current office. After Council members had spoken, the Danish presidency returned the floor to Kallas to respond to the comments and questions raised during the meeting, at which point Kallas framed Nebenzia’s remarks as an illustration of the broader challenge of misinformation, saying they amounted to “rewriting history”. Russia then objected on procedural grounds, arguing that open Security Council briefings are not intended to become an interactive dialogue with briefers, before France condemned the “ad hominem attacks” as contrary to the Council’s working methods.
| Security Council Presidential Statements | |
| 14 February 2014S/PRST/2014/4 | This was a presidential statement on cooperation between the UN and the EU, highlighting the EU’s comprehensive approach to maintenance of international peace and security. |
| Security Council Meeting Records | |
| 11 March 2025S/PV.9876 | This was the annual meeting on strengthening EU-UN cooperation. |