The United Nations has asked the United States to clarify when and how it plans to pay billions of dollars in unpaid budget contributions, as the organization faces mounting financial pressure linked to a sharp drop in U.S. engagement.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Monday that the United States had signalled that payments would begin within weeks, but had not provided details on the timing or size of any initial transfers.
“We’ve seen the statements, and frankly, the secretary-general has been in touch for quite some time on this issue with Ambassador Waltz,” Dujarric told reporters, referring to U.S. ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz. “Our controller has been in touch with the U.S.; indications were given. We’re waiting to see exactly when payments will be made and in what amounts.”
According to UN officials, unpaid U.S. contributions account for about 95 percent of all outstanding dues to the organisation’s regular budget. The arrears have grown as the administration of President Donald Trump has scaled back U.S. participation in multilateral institutions and cut funding to several UN agencies.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned member states in a letter in January that the organisation was at risk of “imminent financial collapse” because of unpaid fees. He urged governments to meet their financial obligations in full and on time to prevent disruptions to core UN operations.
By the start of February, the United States owed the UN about $2.19 billion in assessed contributions to the regular budget, according to UN figures. In addition, it owed roughly $2.4 billion for peacekeeping operations and about $43.6 million for international tribunals. Officials said Washington had not paid $827 million due for the 2025 budget year and had also missed $767 million for 2026.
The U.S. has historically been the largest single donor to the United Nations and its agencies, accounting for about 22 percent of the regular budget and more than a quarter of peacekeeping funding. When those payments are delayed, the impact is felt across departments that rely on assessed contributions to pay staff and maintain operations.
Dujarric said the UN was operating under tight cash controls and had been forced to delay some payments and hiring. He did not specify which programmes had been affected, but said the situation remained “very serious.”
Last week, Waltz told Reuters that the UN would receive a “significant” payment toward U.S. arrears in the near term. “You’ll certainly see an initial tranche of money very shortly,” he said. He added that the administration was taking into account what it viewed as reform efforts within the organisation.
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Waltz did not specify how large the initial payment would be or whether it would cover regular budget dues, peacekeeping assessments, or both. The State Department has not publicly outlined a payment schedule.
The funding dispute comes amid a broader reassessment of multilateral engagement by the Trump administration. In a National Security Strategy released last year, the White House said the “world’s fundamental political unit is and will remain the nation state,” not international organisations, signalling a preference for bilateral arrangements over global institutions.
U.S. officials and allied politicians have repeatedly criticised the UN and some of its agencies, arguing they act against American interests. Israel, Washington’s closest Middle East ally, has also been a frequent critic, particularly of UN bodies that monitor human rights conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said last week that his office was in “survival mode” because of budget shortfalls. The Trump administration cut off U.S. contributions to the office in 2025. Turk’s agency has published reports documenting alleged rights abuses by Israeli forces in Gaza and the West Bank, findings that both the U.S. and Israel have rejected.
UN officials say the cash crunch has made long term planning difficult and increased uncertainty for staff and field missions. Peacekeeping operations, which depend heavily on U.S. funding, are among the most exposed areas. The United States is assessed nearly 27 percent of the peacekeeping budget under a scale of contributions set by the General Assembly.
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Delays in peacekeeping payments can force the UN to draw down reserves, postpone reimbursements to troop contributing countries, and slow procurement for equipment and logistics. Several diplomats said privately that this could affect the readiness and morale of missions in fragile environments.
In Washington, conservative lawmakers from Trump’s Republican Party have long argued that the UN constrains U.S. sovereignty and limits its freedom of action. Some have called for sharp reductions in funding or for the United States to withdraw from certain agencies altogether.
Supporters of the UN, including many European governments and humanitarian groups, argue that the organisation plays a central role in conflict mediation, disaster response, and development assistance, and that U.S. disengagement risks weakening global cooperation.
Dujarric said the secretary general had continued to raise the issue of arrears in contacts with U.S. officials and with other member states. “The point is not only about one country,” he said. “It is about the principle that all members have an obligation to pay what they owe so the organisation can function.”
The General Assembly can impose penalties on countries that fall too far behind in their payments, including the loss of voting rights, although such measures are rare and politically sensitive when applied to major powers.