- Published: 23.05.2025.
Ambassador Mihelin participated in the Ambassadors Roundtable "Multilateralism in a multipolar world: managing power and norms" at the 11th China and Globalization Forum, organized by the Center for China and Globalization
At the roundtable "Multilateralism in a Multipolar World: Managing Power and Norms", Ambassador Mihelin stressed that “New international order is ahead of us, like it or not. What is important, is to secure that its foundations and basic tenets are firm and principled, securing equality of all the members of the international community. Otherwise, succumbing to a law of the jungle, power struggle, lawlessness in the end, is a very certain and frightening eventuality. Not better is an outcome with a concert of powers, with shared spheres of influence, undermining freedoms and liberties of less powerful ones. Multipolarity for many has this potential ominous content behind.”
Ambassador Mihelin emphasized that multilateralism, effective multilateralism, especially with the efficient and responsive UN system at its core, and regardless of its flaws, remains essential for predictable, orderly, and peaceful international conduct and relations. This is the responsibility of all its members. The collapse of the multilateral system would only open the door to the spread of undemocratic practices and the promotion of policies and behaviours contrary to values, principles, and traditions at the core of the UN system.
He emphasized that unjustified Russian war against Ukraine reminds us of the importance of preserving this order and demands a responsible response from everyone in the international community, particularly from the permanent members of the Security Council of the United Nations, calling for the respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and bringing about a just and sustainable peace, with all the atrocities condemned and perpetrators brought to justice. He reminded that this is not the only conflict in the world today, there are many hotspots around the world we should focus on more, with existential consequences for affected regions, but no other conflict brings more rampant challenges to the international community than this horrendous act by Russia. “It is in our common and best interest to prevent such a scenario, which would inevitably lead to global instability and the multiplication of negative consequences from both ongoing and emerging crises.”
The Ambassador emphasized that the world has changed dramatically indeed, and in these new circumstances, there is no alternative but to increase international cooperation based in the established tenets of the rules-based international order, buttressed by the global institutions centered in the United Nations system and the corpus of international law.