UN chief Antonio Guterres appears to be pointing the finger at Trump amid criticism that his “peace commission” aims to replace the United Nations.
Published January 30, 2026
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned at a press conference that international “cooperation is being undermined” around the world, targeting one, perhaps two, powerful countries that are undermining efforts to jointly solve global problems.
Secretary-General Guterres on Thursday outlined the United Nations’ priorities in his annual address as secretary-general, saying the world body stands ready to help member states do more to address the most pressing problems, including climate change, inequality, conflict and the growing influence of technology companies.
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But he warned that “the world’s problems cannot be solved by one country’s initiative alone,” referring to the president’s apparent abandonment of President Donald Trump’s administration and much of the United Nations system while encouraging countries to join his newly created Peace Commission.
Guterres went on to say that “two great powers” cannot solve important problems by “dividing the world into competing spheres of influence,” an apparent reference to China and its growing role in world affairs.
Guterres, who will step down at the end of the year, stressed the United Nations’ continued commitment to international law amid growing concerns that treaties that countries have adhered to for decades are being discarded.
Amid Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza and the brazen abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US forces, the United Nations Secretary-General has warned that international law is being “trampled” and “multilateral institutions are under attack on many fronts.”
However, he added that the UN still calls for “peace, a just and sustainable peace that is rooted in international law.”
From his first term as US president, Trump sought to end his country’s formal participation in many aspects of the UN system, while also being keen to exercise influence over key decision-making bodies, including through the use of the US veto on the UN’s powerful Security Council.
The current Trump administration also imposed sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for Palestine, and threatened to impose sanctions on negotiators participating in UN negotiations on shipping pollution at the International Maritime Organization.
The actions of US leaders have drawn criticism.
Earlier this month, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva accused Trump of wanting to create a “new United Nations.”
Lula’s comments came days after President Trump announced his idea of a “peace commission” at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
More than 20 countries from the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe have registered as founding members of the Peace Commission, but several major countries, including France, have declined invitations to join, and Canada is excluded.
France said the peace commission led by President Trump “raises serious questions that go beyond the framework of Gaza and, in particular, regarding the principles and structures of the United Nations, which cannot be questioned.”
