United Nations faces funding crisis amid shifting US-China-India diplomacy

The United Nations faces a significant financial crisis, ending 2025 with $1.6 billion in unpaid annual dues. While the Trump administration has announced plans to transfer $725 million—less than 20 percent of its reported $4 billion debt—China has also failed to pay its dues in full for the year. Together, the United States and China account for 42 percent of the UN budget, and their payment delays are forcing Secretary-General António Guterres to implement cuts to programs and the workforce.

Geopolitical shifts are further complicating the multilateral landscape. President Xi Jinping may skip the UN General Assembly to prioritize a meeting with President Donald Trump in the United States. Simultaneously, the upcoming BRICS Summit in New Delhi is expected to feature a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Xi’s visit to India marks his first trip to the country in seven years, signaling potential shifts in regional diplomacy and trade dynamics.