UN Chief Declares Billions Owed by U.S. "Non-Negotiable" as Washington Attaches Reform Conditions to Withheld Funds

The United Nations has been grappling with a deepening financial crisis, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warning in January of "imminent financial collapse" due to unpaid fees, most owed by the United States. By February, the U.S. had paid only about $160 million of the more than $4 billion it owes the world body. Reports emerged this week that Washington circulated two diplomatic notes demanding nine reforms before releasing any funds. Guterres pushed back firmly on Thursday, stating that the owed funds are "assessed contributions,” binding obligations of member states, and "non-negotiable." He stressed that UN reform and debt repayment are entirely separate matters. The U.S. mission to the UN has not commented, though Washington has previously announced its withdrawal from dozens of UN bodies this year alongside millions in funding cuts last year.