UNITED NATIONS/PARIS - The United States may lose its voting rights at the UN General Assembly at some point if it does not pay its dues to the United Nations for a certain number of years, a UN spokesperson said Thursday.

"Well, the (UN) Charter is clear ... about what happens when a country doesn't pay its dues for a certain number of years," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, in response to questions about the implications if a UN member state does not pay its dues to the United Nations.

"It's Article 19. So, it's not a decision of the Secretary-General. It's in the Charter, and it implies that at some point a country may lose its vote in the General Assembly," he said.

The spokesperson confirmed that the United States did not pay its dues to the United Nations in 2025.

"A Member of the United Nations which is in arrears in the payment of its financial contributions to the Organization shall have no vote in the General Assembly if the amount of its arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the preceding two full years. The General Assembly may, nevertheless, permit such a Member to vote if it is satisfied that the failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the Member," Article 19 of the UN Charter stipulates.

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The United States is to withdraw from 66 international organizations, according to a presidential memorandum signed by US President Donald Trump on Wednesday.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres regrets the announcement by the White House regarding the US decision, his spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday.

"As we have consistently underscored, assessed contributions to the United Nations regular budget and peacekeeping budget, as approved by the General Assembly, are a legal obligation under the UN Charter for all Member States, including the United States," the statement said.

Noting that all UN entities will go on with the implementation of their mandates as given by member states, the statement said the United Nations "has a responsibility to deliver for those who depend on us. We will continue to carry out our mandates with determination."

Also on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that the US is "gradually turning away" from certain allies and "breaking free from international rules."

Speaking in his annual address to French ambassadors, Macron said the time has come to fully reinvest in the United Nations (UN), adding that its largest shareholder, the United States, no longer believes in the institution.

His remarks followed US President Donald Trump signing on Wednesday a memorandum directing his country's withdrawal from 66 international organizations, including 31 UN entities and 35 non-UN bodies.

While reaffirming France's commitment to multilateralism, Macron acknowledged that "multilateral institutions are functioning less and less effectively."