Defense

UN ambassador warns retreat from group will hurt US interests

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power warned in her exit memo that a retreat from the U.N. will be harmful to U.S. national security interests.

“Other nations will follow us if we continue to lead; without our leadership the vacuum on the global stage will prove very harmful to U.S. interests,” Power wrote in the memo.

“As Russia continues to menace our allies and attempt to interfere in political systems in Europe and beyond, we will need to show broad condemnation of these actions,” the diplomat added.

{mosads}In her exit memo, Power argued that a leading role in the U.N. is crucial for the United States when it comes to addressing a multitude of challenges facing the country, including the North Korean nuclear program, peace talks in Syria and climate change.

“Working with the U.N. to address these challenges will not be a litmus test of whether one is committed to international norms and institutions or not — it will simply be a strategic necessity,” Power wrote.

President-elect Donald Trump has been highly critical of the U.N., particularly after the passage late last year of a resolution that demanded a stop to Israeli settlements.
 
“As to the U.N., things will be different after Jan. 20th,” Trump tweeted in December, following that U.N. Security Council vote.