Finland’s President Alexander Stubb has advocated for the expansion of the U.N. Security Council, the elimination of the veto power held by individual states, and the suspension of any member involved in an “illegal war,” such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Stubb, who oversees the foreign policy of the Nordic country, expressed his intention to support reform initiatives at the upcoming U.N. General Assembly in New York, where the composition of the Security Council will be a key topic of discussion.

The council, which currently comprises five permanent and ten rotating members, is tasked with maintaining global peace; however, geopolitical tensions have hindered its effectiveness on matters ranging from Ukraine to Gaza.

In a Tuesday interview, Stubb proposed increasing the number of permanent members from five to ten, suggesting the addition of one member from Latin America, two from Africa, and two from Asia. “No single state should possess veto power in the U.N. Security Council,” he stated in an interview with Reuters.

United States, alongside Russia, China, France, and Britain, is one of the five nations with veto power and has expressed support for the addition of two permanent seats for African nations. Stubb remarked that any member involved in an unlawful conflict, “like Russia’s current actions in Ukraine,” should be removed from the council.

Moscow has defended its actions in Ukraine by claiming it is establishing a buffer against Western threats and reclaiming territory it considers historically Russian.

Stubb acknowledged that his proposals for the Security Council were “more ambitious than what is typically suggested by smaller member states,” but emphasized that larger nations are unlikely to propose measures that would diminish their own power. “They may make statements, but they do not follow through,” he stated, expressing hope that others would assist in advancing the initiative by the time the U.N. celebrates its 80th anniversary next year.

Any modifications to the Security Council’s membership require the approval of two-thirds of the General Assembly, which includes the five veto-holding nations.

The core message conveyed is that if nations from the global South, including those in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, are not granted agency within the international system, they may distance themselves from the United Nations, which is an outcome we wish to avoid, he stated. The former Finnish prime minister and current president, who assumed office in March, called for support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who is scheduled to present his “victory plan” at the upcoming U.N. assembly.

“He has indicated that 90% of the plan is already in place, and the remaining 10% he will outline is essential for his success in this conflict,” Stubb remarked. He urged Western countries to remove restrictions on the use of donated weapons, which currently leave Ukraine at a disadvantage. “We must release those constraints and enable Ukraine to respond in kind to Russia’s actions,” he emphasized.

Stubb dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threats of nuclear escalation, noting, “The last time Putin employed aggressive rhetoric regarding nuclear arms, the global South and China effectively told him to cease.”