Panicking United Nations Demands US and Others Pay Fees in the Face of 'Imminent Financial Collapse'
The United Nations is sounding the alarm over what its leadership claims is a looming financial catastrophe, warning that the global body could face an “imminent financial collapse” unless member nations either pay what they owe or radically change how the organization manages money.
In a letter sent to all 193 U.N. member states and obtained by the Associated Press, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cautioned that the organization’s regular operating funds could be depleted as early as July, a scenario that would severely disrupt U.N. operations worldwide.
“Either all member states honor their obligations to pay in full and on time — or member states must fundamentally overhaul our financial rules to prevent an imminent financial collapse,” Guterres wrote.
Although the secretary-general did not single out any specific country in the letter, previously reported by Reuters, the warning comes amid mounting unpaid dues from the United States, historically the United Nations’ largest financial contributor.
According to a U.N. official who spoke on condition of anonymity, the United States currently owes $2.196 billion to the organization’s regular budget and is expected to owe an additional $767 million for the current year. On top of that, the U.S. is behind by $1.8 billion for U.N. peacekeeping operations — a figure that continues to grow.
Venezuela ranks second among delinquent nations, with $38 million in unpaid dues, the official said. The country has already lost its voting privileges in the General Assembly after falling more than two years behind on payments. Venezuela’s economy had been deteriorating long before this month’s U.S. military raid that removed then-President Nicolás Maduro from power.
Guterres noted that the United Nations closed out 2025 with a record $1.568 billion in outstanding dues — more than double the amount owed at the end of 2024. The U.N. official said the Trump administration, under President Donald J. Trump’s second term, did not pay any dues last year.
As a result of the massive shortfall, the organization’s liquidity reserves have been nearly exhausted. Guterres warned that without a dramatic improvement in payments, the United Nations will be unable to carry out its $3.45 billion regular budget for 2026, which was unanimously approved by all 193 member nations in December.
The secretary-general also renewed his criticism of a longstanding U.N. financial rule that requires the organization to return unspent funds to member states — even if those funds were never actually received. He urged immediate changes to the policy.
“I cannot overstate the urgency of the situation we now face,” Guterres said. “We cannot execute budgets with uncollected funds, nor return funds we never received.”
The U.S. mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.