Germany has suffered a rare diplomatic setback after failing to secure a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the first time in its history.
In a General Assembly vote held Thursday, Berlin was beaten to the Western European and Others Group seat by Portugal and Austria. The five new non-permanent members for 2027-2028 will be Portugal, Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Zimbabwe, and Trinidad and Tobago. They replace Pakistan, Somalia, Greece, Denmark, and Panama from 1 January 2027.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul described the outcome as a “bitter defeat”.
He said the loss was caused by two factors; Berlin’s support for Israel which alienated key votes from the Global South and its strong backing of Ukraine which irked Russia.
Diplomats called the result unexpected. Germany had anticipated broad support given its financial contributions and influence in the UN.
Despite the loss, Wadephul insisted Germany’s foreign policy would not shift. The country will remain vocal on Ukraine and the Middle East even without a Security Council vote.
The defeat came as UN Secretary-General António Guterres voiced “deep concern” over reported Russian plans to strike Kyiv.
In a related development, the US declined to sign a statement by 50 UN member states condemning Russian threats against embassies in the Ukrainian capital.