10 Marker

Question 1

Intro

Answer 1

The United Nations (UN) is a key multilateral actor with both the willingness and capacity to respond to the Ukraine conflict, however its overall ability to resolve the conflict is heavily constrained.

Question 2

Structure of To Respond

Answer 2

• Topic Sentence
• Humanitarian x3
• UNGA x3
• Evaluation x1

Question 3

Structure of To Resolve

Answer 3

UNSC x2
China x1
Antonio Guterres x1
Evaluation x1

Question 4

To Respond
Topic Sentence

The UN…

Answer 4

• The UN has demonstrated willingness through humanitarian efforts and diplomatic initiatives.

Question 5

To Respond
Humanitarian x3

Agencies…
Additionally…
While…

Answer 5

• Agencies such as the UNHCR have provided protection and assistance to over 8.2 million refugees across Europe (UNHCR, 2023), reflecting a strong commitment to humanitarian safety, rooted in cosmopolitan values of global solidarity.
• Additionally the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has delivered aid to over 13 million Ukrainians inside the country.
• While these efforts do not address the root causes of the conflict, they showcase the UN’s capacity to mobilize large-scale humanitarian support in times of crisis.

Question 6

To Respond
UNGA x3

The UN Gneral Assembly…
There have since…
While non-binding…

Answer 6

• The UN General Assembly, in March 2022, passed a resolution (ES-11/1) condemning Russia’s invasion, with 141 states voting in favour.
• There have since been 8 emergency sessions to reaffirm their stance and apply diplomatic pressure.
• While non-binding, this has reinforced a global normative stance against aggression, and upheld principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty (Article 2(4)).

Question 7

To Respond evaluation

The UN’s failure…

Answer 7

The UN’s failure to impose binding sanctions has meant that its involvement has been largely symbolic and humanitarian.

Question 8

To Resolve
UNSC x2

The UN Security Council…

The council has been… and as such…

Answer 8

• The UN Security Council (UNSC) holds the legal authority to intervene under Chapter VII of the UN Charter.
• The council has been blocked from any action on Ukraine because Russia is a veto-wielding member and a party to the conflict and as such has blocked several resolutions aimed at addressing the conflict, including a February 2022 draft resolution demanding Russia’s withdrawal.

Question 9

To Resolve
China x1

In addition,… demonstrating… undermining…

Answer 9

In addition, China, despite their “call for dialogue… and a political settlement” abstained from a UNSC resolution for a full withdrawal of Russian troops, demonstrating a realist prioritisation of state interests over international peace, undermining the UNSC’s ability to respond.

Question 10

To resolve
Antonio Guterres

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres…

Answer 10

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres outlined that “peace demands leadership instead, we’re seeing deepening geopolitical divisions” pointing to repeated failures of the UNSC to resolve the conflict as per its role in global governance.

Question 11

To Resolve
Evaluation

These dynamics…

Answer 11

These dynamics ultimately reveal the UN Security Council’s limited ability to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, as structural constraints consistently undermine its effectiveness as a global peacekeeping body.

Question 12

Conclusion

In Summary…

This highlights…

Answer 12

• In summary, the UN’s ability to respond to the Ukraine conflict is marked by strong willingness and partial capacity in humanitarian and diplomatic spheres, but structural challenges severely limit its authority and effectiveness in resolving the conflict.
• This highlights the tension between cosmopolitan ideals and realist power politics within global governance.