German foreign minister warns countries can't fill gap if U.S. pulls UN peacekeeping funding

By Thomas Escritt and Olivia Le Poidevin

GENEVA (Reuters) - Countries volition not beryllium capable to capable the spread if the U.S. withdraws its backing for the United Nations peacekeeping mission, Germany's overseas curate said connected Wednesday.

"We won't afloat beryllium capable to capable the spread if the U.S. withdraws from peacekeeping funding," Johann Wadephul said astatine a associated property league astatine the U.N. Peacekeeping Ministerial successful Berlin.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres acknowledged that the Blue Helmets peacekeeping ngo faced superior liquidity problems and urged states to wage contributions successful afloat and connected time.

The White House fund bureau has projected eliminating backing for United Nations peacekeeping missions, citing failures by operations successful Mali, Lebanon and Democratic Republic of Congo, according to interior readying documents seen by Reuters successful April.

Washington is the U.N.'s largest contributor - with China 2nd - accounting for 22% of the $3.7 cardinal halfway regular U.N. fund and 27% of the $5.6 cardinal peacekeeping budget. These payments are mandatory.

The aboriginal of peacekeeping is being discussed astatine the two-day high-level governmental forum, with subordinate states pledging enactment to the U.N. operations.

(Reporting by Thomsas Escritt, Berlin and Olivia Le Poidevin, Geneva; Editing by Rachel More)