Final answer:
The task of UN peacekeepers is to contain conflicts through military and nonmilitary means, known as peacekeeping, which relies on the concept of soft power.
Step-by-step explanation:
The task of UN peacekeepers is typically to help contain conflicts between two states through third-party military forces, thus the correct answer is peacekeeping. It involves not just military, but also nonmilitary functions, such as economic sanctions, diplomacy, and other methods to influence a country's behavior. These multifunctional efforts are meant to create conditions that favor lasting peace, and they are aligned with the concept of soft power, which relies on friendly interactions and the pursuit of mutually beneficial agreements to maintain international order. Diplomacy is characterized by the UN seeking to contain conflicts between two states through third-party military forces, whereas peacekeeping is characterized by both military and nonmilitary functions. Diplomacy involves friendly interactions that seek to win over states rather than force them to comply with the wishes of other states. It allows states to create mutually beneficial agreements to protect themselves and the international system at large.