Turkish parliament speaker blasts UN ineffectiveness, says ‘global institutions have collapsed’

Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus said Wednesday that institutions underpinning the current international system have collapsed and failed to address global conflicts, criticizing the UN as ineffective in preventing aggression and ensuring accountability.

Speaking at an event titled “Türkiye in a Changing World: A Partner, a Balancer, a Strategic Actor,” hosted by the Finland-Türkiye Interparliamentary Friendship Group, Kurtulmus said the global order was facing a profound institutional crisis.

“The institutions of the world system have collapsed,” Kurtulmus said. He argued that the UN, which was established to prevent conflicts and whose founding principles remain widely respected, had failed to fulfill its mission.

“To put it plainly, the United Nations means little more than an office in New York,” he said.

Recalling remarks he made at an earlier meeting in Türkiye, Kurtulmus added:

“Unfortunately, the United Nations is no different from a cafe in New York. It has no influence, cannot resolve any conflict, cannot stop any aggression, cannot tell any criminal that they are guilty, and remains in a state of helplessness.”