Speaking to reporters during the high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Rubio said the United States recognises the utility of the international system. He said President Donald Trump has also stated that the United Nations has “tremendous potential”, but argued that it is not living up to that potential.
“We see the utility in the international system. We're here...I think the President has said that the United Nations, for example, has tremendous potential, but it's not living up to it...,” Rubio said.
“I think multiple leaders...pointed to the fact that the international system is failing, and it's failing because it has grown beyond its mandate. It has grown beyond its intent. It's involved in all kinds of things that shouldn't be involved in, and it's unable to solve virtually any major conflict in the world,” he said.
The top US diplomat said there was “unanimity and consensus” during the high-level UNGA week that the international system is broken. He argued that the system had moved beyond its original mandate and intended role.
“But it's broken because it broke itself. It needs to be brought back to its proper focus and its proper role. It would be great if we had a functional international system, for example, that could deal with a war between Thailand and Cambodia that occurred, or a potential conflict between India and Pakistan...Right now, we don't seem to have a functional international system that can address it,” Rubio said.
Rubio added that in the absence of a functional international system, nation-states will act in their national interest.
“I want to be clear because this is not an attack on the international system. But at the end of the day, the US will always act, at least as long as President Trump is in office, we will always act in the national interest of our country, not in the interest of the international order. We will never put the international order above the interest of the United States,” Rubio said.
His remarks came a day after Trump repeated his claim that he settled the war between India and Pakistan last year, among the eight conflicts he ended, as he addressed world leaders at the UN General Assembly.
Trump has consistently claimed credit for stopping the conflict between India and Pakistan, an assertion he has repeated since May 10 last year when he announced on social media that India and Pakistan agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after a “long night” of talks mediated by Washington.
India has been consistently maintaining that the understanding on cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached following direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two militaries. India has denied any third-party intervention.
Rubio’s remarks placed the potential India-Pakistan conflict within his broader assessment that existing international mechanisms lack the capacity to address major conflicts, while also making clear that the United States under President Trump would continue to prioritise its national interest.
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