The United Nations will vote on a resolution requiring Security Council members to justify their use of veto power

The reform debate is rare and contentious, but it has been reignited by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, which directly challenges the United States, China, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom.

The 193 members of the United Nations General Assembly will vote on a proposal that would force the Security Council’s five permanent members to justify their use of the veto in the future.

The proposal, which will be debated on Tuesday, will “establish a new mechanism,” according to Liechtenstein’s ambassador Christian Wenaweser, who maintained that it is “not against anyone.”

Discussions on veto reform are unusual and contentious, but they have been reignited by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, which directly targets the United States, China, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom, the sole veto holders.

The motion, which was first introduced more than two years ago, calls for the General Assembly to meet within 10 working days after a permanent member exercises his or her veto “to hold a debate on the situation in which the veto was cast,” according to the text.

Around sixty countries, including the United States, have joined Liechtenstein in co-sponsoring the change, a surprising outpouring of support at the United Nations.

From the United States’ standpoint, Russia has clearly misused its veto power for the past two decades, and the proposed language aims to correct this.