Putin demands UN reform to give African and Asian countries more power against Western countries’ influence

Russian President, Vladimir Putin has called for urgent restructuring within the United Nations to reduce the disproportionate administrative influence wielded by Western nations and to grant greater representation to developing regions.

Speaking on Thursday at the plenary session of the 23rd annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, themed “Responsibility for the Future: Limits of the Possible, or Limitless Possibilities?”, 
Putin argued that the international body falls short of its original democratic design.

While referencing the UN Charter as the central coordinating mechanism for global affairs, the Russian leader stated that management structures currently favor a Western minority.

“A narrow grouping of Western countries wields a disproportionately large influence,” Putin noted. “It constitutes a global minority by all accounts while seeking to appropriate administrative functions.”

Putin observed that this institutional imbalance is becoming increasingly untenable as nations across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East assert greater global confidence and independence.

He emphasized that genuine reform requires more than merely expanding the UN Security Council or adjusting geographical quotas; it demands a fundamental shift in priorities to address emerging global challenges.

Acknowledging that achieving an internal consensus for such sweeping amendments remains difficult under current geopolitical conditions, Putin maintained that a representative structure is essential for reflecting true international diversity.