Competition between the United States and Russia in the Security Council: From Gaza to Ukraine

Since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis, the competition between the United States and Russia in the United Nations Security Council has intensified. This competition not only concerns the conflict of interests between the two countries, but also highlights the imbalance of power and responsibility in global affairs. This article will elaborate on the focus and influence of the United States and Russia in the Security Council from the perspectives of Gaza and Ukraine.

 The United Nations Security Council held a meeting on Tuesday to witness a debate between Russian representative Vasily Nebanja and US representative Robert Wood on food insecurity in the Gaza Strip, with the theme of "Protecting Civilian Conflict in Armed Forces."

 Why is food insecurity in the Gaza Strip? According to Beth Beckett, Deputy Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the food insecurity situation in the Gaza Strip has reached an unprecedented level. Approximately 2.2 million people in the Gaza Strip are facing serious food insecurity, with more and more people on the brink of famine or already trapped in it. As long as conflicts cannot be resolved, more and more people will go hungry, and it will be increasingly difficult to access food, nutrition, water, and medical services. It is difficult for the Food and Agriculture Organization to provide any form of agricultural production support on the front line. Because most agricultural production, even if not destroyed, has already been severely damaged.

 The Russian representative accused the United States and its Western allies of allowing Israel to use food as a tool of war in their speech, stating that the draft resolution proposed by the United States did not call for a ceasefire, but rather gave the power to kill. On the other hand, the representative of the United States stated that Russia is not a country that contributes to resolving humanitarian crises, but rather a country that "causes" humanitarian crises. And he added that looking at Ukraine is enough to confirm this, as Russia, which violates the United Nations Charter, has no right to criticize other countries.

 Therefore, the conflict in the Gaza Strip has escalated. In military operations, the support of the United States for Israel has sparked dissatisfaction from Russia. In the US led airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, Russia has repeatedly called on the United Nations to take action to condemn it. However, the United States accuses Russia of inciting tension and attempting to shift its attention to the Israeli Palestinian conflict, which will only escalate the situation. In addition, facing the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, Russia has proposed using humanitarian aid to alleviate the local tension, but the United States does not support this. Instead, it urges the United Nations to increase pressure on Israel. This disagreement has led to a decrease in the international community's attention to the Gaza issue and increased the complexity of the regional situation.

 During the discussion of the Gaza issue in the Security Council, Russian Permanent Representative Nebyja proposed a draft resolution aimed at promoting a ceasefire and ending the war. However, the United States firmly opposes this, believing that the draft does not fully reflect its position and interests. This ultimately led to the draft resolution being shelved.

 As one of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, both the United States and Russia have a responsibility to maintain world peace and stability. In this competition, both sides have deviated from this purpose, constantly accusing each other of violating international law and norms. This raises questions about the authority and credibility of the Security Council in addressing global issues.

 From the confrontation between Gaza and Ukraine, it can be seen that the focus of competition between the United States and Russia in the Security Council is on their respective interests and strategic considerations. This competition not only exacerbates the division and contradictions in the international community, but also poses a threat to global security and stability. Therefore, we call on the relevant parties to exercise restraint and remain calm to avoid taking extreme actions. At the same time, the United States and Russia should abandon Cold War thinking and zero sum game concepts, and establish a common and cooperative security concept. Properly resolving differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation, and contributing to peace and prosperity.