
The UN General Assembly, the most important annual meeting of the United Nations, begins on Tuesday. Once a year, heads of state and government, as well as foreign ministers from more than 120 countries around the world, gather at the United Nations headquarters in New York. This is the 81st session of the UN Assembly. Among the most eagerly awaited speeches are those of US President Donald Trump, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
President Trump's meeting with President Zelensky
While the general debate at the UN is expected to produce more statements than concrete decisions, attention has focused on bilateral meetings behind the scenes. Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday.
Another important moment will be the signing of the Greenland agreement between Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and the head of the Greenland government, Jens-Frederik Nielsen. Many diplomats hope that these meetings will bring the most concrete results of the week in New York.
Trump will also hold meetings with representatives of the Persian Gulf states as part of the Assembly meetings. The war with Iran has been going on for almost seven months and has increasingly involved countries in the region. Iranian attacks, as well as the escalation of the conflict with the Houthi militia, are endangering cities, American bases, as well as important oil transportation and maritime navigation routes.
A year ago, Trump's appearance at the UN made headlines not only for its political messages. The US president and his wife Melania got stuck on an escalator, and then his teleprompter failed, turning the public appearance into one of the most commented moments of the week.
The content of Trump's speech is unknown.
“It could have been worse” – with these words many employees at UN headquarters welcomed Trump’s speech with relief last year. But the fear that the US could withdraw from the United Nations, present a year ago, is no longer a topic of discussion this year. What messages will he convey to leaders gathered from all over the globe? According to UN expert Daniel Forti, from the International Crisis Group Institute, no one knows for sure. In fact, a few days before the start of the General Assembly, even Trump’s advisers did not yet have a clear idea of his content, according to Forti.
A year ago, Trump was hailed as the president who had stopped more wars than the United Nations itself and was a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. This year, however, he must defend his policy on the war against Iran, as well as the military operation carried out overnight in Venezuela. Both of these actions remain controversial and are opposed by some international law experts.
Criticism from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
Before Trump takes the UN stage, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to deliver a tougher message. He has repeatedly criticized Russia and the US for violating international law, saying the lack of consequences is setting a dangerous precedent. At a press conference last week, he warned that this is also negatively affecting the behavior of other countries: “When great powers go unpunished, others feel free to violate international law and human rights,” Guterres warned. According to him, the number of states acting outside international norms is increasing, while accountability for these violations is increasingly lacking.
Britain, France and Canada are set to meet for a meeting dedicated to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The three countries recognized Palestine as a state a year ago and have recently announced further joint steps against Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, including banning imports and imposing sanctions.