The US is one of only five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
What is the United Nations Security Council?
The Security Council is the part of the UN responsible for peace making and peacekeeping as well as international sanctions. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the US has a very influential role.
Who are the members of the United Nations Security Council?
There are five permanent members of the council (USA, China, Russian Federation, France, UK). They have the power to vote against, and effectively veto, any Security Council proposal put forward.
US decision-making within the UN Security Council
The US has used its veto several times in recent years. Each time it has voted against resolutions relating to Israel and Palestinians including use of the veto four times since October 2023 in respect of the Israel-Gaza war.
The US has at times found decision-making within the UN Security Council frustrating or time consuming. Russia and China are also permanent members and have used their veto to block US proposals. Recently, Russia has used its veto on resolutions about conflict in Syria and Ukraine. For example, in 2022, Russia vetoed two Security Council resolutions that would have demanded that Russian troops were withdrawn from Ukraine and its occupation of Ukrainian territory should not be recognised.
