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Argentine President Javier Milei accused the United Nations of ignoring rising tensions over oil exploration near the Falkland Islands.
In an address to the UN General Assembly, he reiterated Argentina’s claim to sovereignty over the islands, a British overseas territory. Milei said the islanders did not have the right to self-determination and called for negotiations with London to resolve the dispute peacefully.
“We choose a peaceful, practical and effective path of defense,” the Argentine president said.
Argentina increases pressure over oil project
Argentina this month began sanctions proceedings against more than 60 companies and individuals linked to an offshore oil drilling project near the islands. The United Kingdom rejected the move.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the government would not change its position. He stressed that the rights of Falkland Islanders to self-determination and to remain a British territory would be defended.
Milei is expected to discuss the issue with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting on Thursday, as the offshore oil project in the Falkland Islands is linked to Israeli investors.
History of the sovereignty dispute
Argentina calls the South Atlantic islands the “Malvinas Islands,” and their status remains one of the central issues connected to the country’s national identity. Argentina invaded the islands in 1982, triggering a 10-week war that ended with Argentina’s surrender to the United Kingdom.
Milei said the oil project violated a 1976 UN General Assembly resolution that called on Argentina and the United Kingdom to resolve the sovereignty dispute through negotiations and refrain from unilateral actions.
Milei’s position faces criticism at home
The Argentine president’s latest comments came days after US President Donald Trump said Washington might reconsider its traditional neutral position on the dispute. Milei’s tougher stance differs from his earlier diplomatic approach.
Political opponents accused the president of using the dispute to strengthen domestic support. Guillermo Michel, a lawmaker from the Peronist opposition, said the speech was “an attempt to look good before society or change the subject.”
According to research by Buenos Aires-based consulting firm Inteligencia Analitica, Milei’s televised address produced only a slight improvement in his public image.
The government last week submitted a bill that would toughen sanctions against people accused of illegally exploiting natural resources in Argentina’s maritime areas and continental shelf. The bill will first be sent to a committee as the government reviews its legislative priorities.
Milei does not hold a majority in Congress but has secured support for several key economic reforms. Marcelo Segui, an adviser to the lower house’s defense committee, said some provisions of the sovereignty bill could win cross-party support, while others could face resistance.
Navitas Petroleum and Rockhopper Exploration, the companies behind the offshore Sea Lion project, said they did not expect the Argentine president’s actions to halt its development.
