UN General Assembly opens with Trump, Lula, others in NYC

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres officially opened the world body's 81st General Assembly — which runs through next Monday — at its New York Headquarters

US President Donald Trump was among the first speakers, criticizing Iran starkly but also suggesting a peace deal was possible

Trump also spoke out against what he called globalist endeavors like joint taxes or restrictions on artificial intelligence

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for Palestinian statehood and had harsh words for Israel

Brazil's President Lula warned against outside interference at the upcoming presidential election

The General Assembly comes at a time of global uncertainty as global conflict, environmental crisis and massive technical disruption foist uncertainty upon the global population

Lithuania's President Nauseda urges assembly not to forget Ukraine

The first Baltic leader to speak, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, began by delineating his country's plans to help defusing mines in the Strait of Hormuz or helping bring about the Gaza peace plan — but he urged the assembly not to forget the longer-running conflict closest to his home.

"Ladies and gentleman, the one conflict that poses the greatest threat to the world order is Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," Nauseda said, even 12 years after it began with the annexation of Crimea and the beginnings of a Russian-backed uprising in eastern Ukraine.

In that time, Nauseda said, "Russia has escalated from clandestine operations and limited warfare in eastern Ukraine to massive military operations, mass killings, and ultimately the largest drone attacks against civilian infrastructure the world has ever seen."

He noted how the full-blown war, starting with Russia's February 2022 invasion, had now lasted longer than the first World War. Nauseda said that despite massive casualties, Russian progress had slowed to a snail's pace and Ukraine's culture, language and institutions stood tall.

Nauseda said that only a Ukrainian victory could safeguard ideals like the UN Charter.

"What we cannot allow is brute force prevailing over international law," he said. "We cannot tolerate any longer Moscow's colonial aspirations."

He said these aspirations reached far into "Europe, Africa and Asia," and said that no country should consider itself immune.

In Lithuania's case, he said Russia's war of aggression had led to "numerous violations of our airspace by combat drones," to intensified hybrid attacks, disinformation and sabotage efforts.

He said that where Russia advanced in opening this "new Pandora's box of new techniques for destablization, other hostile actors follow learning new skills and ideas."

Qatar's emir says Gulf going through 'one of its most dangerous phases'

Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said the current crisis in the Gulf "should come as no surprise to anyone" as he took to the podium in New York.

"It is the cumulative result of years of postponing crisis management through temporary solutions and unrealistic policies," he said of the war between the US and Iran which has sprawled to impact a series of Gulf states.

"At the heart of the dangerous situation we are witnessing lies an absence of a regional system of collective security," Al Thani said. "One that respects the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of states. One that promotes the peaceful settlement of disputes and the non-interference in the internal affairs of states."

He said Qatar had recently called "from this very podium" for such a system and was now reiterating the appeal "after recent events have demonstrated the urgent need for it."

The emir said, without naming Iran or the US at any point in his address, that the absence of such a regional accord had allowed "one party to drag its neighbors into a war that is not theirs, targeting their vital assets and installations, despite their strenuous efforts to avert escalation."

Iran has sometimes struck targets in neighboring Gulf countries with close ties to the US.

Al Thani said that the restrictions on passage through the Strait of Hormuz amounted to the "lifelines of the global economy" being turned into bargaining chips, "with people on every continent bearing the cost, despite being far removed from the causes of the conflict."

The 46-year-old head of state said this was driving up prices not just for fuel but also for core other goods like food and medicine.

Turkey's Erdogan accuses Israel of 'genocidal mindset' against Palestinians

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for the recognition of a Palestinian state in his address.

"Let everyone understand and accept the following," Erdogan said. "Attempts to strangle the state of Palestine will fail. God willing, we shall see those good days when an independent state of Palestine — based on the 1967 borders, with territorial integrity and with East Jerusalem as its capital — will be established."

Erdogan told the assembly that more than 1,500 people had been killed in Gaza even since the shaky ceasefire agreement was reached with Turkish help last year.

"Although the Palestinian resistance movement has agreed to move to the second stage of the peace plan," Erdogan said of the tiered approach long stuck on step 1, "the Israeli government refuses to stop the occupation." Israel denies that it has blocked progress with the peace plan and has accused Hamas of not meeting security requirements.

Erdogan also said the West Bank was experiencing what he regarded as escalating "settler violence and terror."

Erdogan said he planned to "speak from the heart" and "without reservation," saying it was a "humanitarian issue" and a matter of conscience for everyone assembled.

"We are faced with a genocidal mindset that cannot get enough of killing," he asserted. "We are faced with an extremely serious situation. No one with a sense of humanity, mercy or compassion, no one guided by justice and conscience, can possibly remain indifferent to this picture."

Erdogan, the longstanding leader of NATO's only majority Muslim member, is known as a frequently staunch critic of Israel and its government. The two countries are also at odds over the post-civil war situation in their mutual neighbor Syria.

Last month, Turkey announced it had sought an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged genocide, with Netanyahu's office responding that the Israeli prime minister was "unimpressed by Turkey's hypocrisy."

Trump lauds 'freedom,' sovereignty and strength on 250th anniversary of US independence

US President Donald Trump began and concluded his lengthy UN speech with references to the US Declaration of Independence from colonial British rule 250 years ago.

He said the US would stand for national sovereignty and independence and against what he termed "globalism" — whether in the shape of global taxes or international controls on artificial intelligence (AI) or at UN institutions like the International Criminal Court.

"Freedom was not a gift that Americans won easily after 250 years," he said. "And it is not one that we will ever, ever surrender."

He went on to tell of George Washington ordering the Declaration of Independence to be read to his troops in New York in 1776 as a British fleet approached the shore.

Trump said that the first Americans "knew that it was not enough merely to believe in great principles, we must also have the will and the courage and the strength to defend them."

He said this was the challenge "for every nation in this room," saying they should "go forward strong against the enemies of all humanity" and "refuse to shrink from" their duties to their people.

Trump had used his speech of roughly half an hour to portray many key points of his foreign policy — from the abduction of Nicolas Maduro to the war in Iran and his tough line on Cuba, or narcotics, or migration — as expressions of this same determination and strength.

Some world leaders were present as Trump mentioned their countries. The Cuban delegation, however, walked out mid-speech.

Declaring that as recently as two years ago, "our country was dead," Trump said, "now we have the hottest country anywhere in the world."

He appealed to other countries to follow his lead, concluding: "Together, through bold action, we will make this world far safer and a far better place."

Trump boasts of Venezuelan oil deal

US President Donald Trump said Washington's actions in Venezuela proved that the county "will no longer permit threats to America."

"If necessary, we will use our unparalleled military might to secure our interests," Trump said.

Trump also touted the subsequent deal he made for the US to have partial control over Venezuela's vast oil reserves, calling it "perhaps the biggest deal ever made."

"To the victor belong the spoils" he added.

Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez was present in New York for the speech.

Trump calls Iran 'bully of the Middle East'

US President Donald Trump spoke about the war with Iran and said he will never allow Tehran to have a nuclear weapon.

"They were the , but they are the bully no more," Trump said, adding that he had given Tehran numerous opportunities to drop its nuclear program and stop its support of militant groups across the regions.

"They refused, which was a big mistake."

The US leader mentioned both the September 11 attacks and the October 7 attacks in Israel, the latter being carried out by Iran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas.

"Just imagine such a vile regime was able to carry out terror attacks from behind a nuclear shield," Trump said.

Trump concluded he faces a choice of whether to allow Iran regrow or to "annihilate" it.

"I believe we'll make a deal right after the (mid term) election in the US," Trump argued, saying he thinks Tehran is waiting to see how the US president's Republican party fares.

However, US leader Trump said he wasn't fazed.

"The only thing that enters my mind is that Iran doesn't have nuclear weapons."

Trump threatens to 'annihilate' Iran if no deal is reached

Brazil leader Lula criticizes UN, calls for democracy protection

Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva criticized the UN's inability to prevent war, saying the institution's credibility "has never been lower."

"We are all held hostage by the Security Council's inaction," Lula said, adding that the current state of the world with its multiple wars is the "complete breakdown of politics."

"This is the conviction of a plant worker that was elected leader of Brazil," Lula said during his speech at the UN's General Assembly.

The leftist leader also warned that "democracy is once again under threat" and made mention of Brazil's upcoming elections in October.

Lula said Brazil would not allow "internal and ‌external enemies of ⁠democracy" ⁠to undermine the vote, which he cast as a choice between "democracy and denialism."

"All candidates enjoy the broadest freedom of expression. We know that some abuse that freedom to ​align themselves with foreign interests that run counter to the country's interests," Lula said, without ​naming county in particular.

Guterres speaks Gaza, West Bank situation

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres spoke about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, saying settler expansion in the West Bank is "raising the specter of ethnic cleansing."

"Violence, displacement and settlement expansion by Israel in the Occupied West Bank are bulldozing the path to peace and raising the specter of ethnic cleansing," Guterres said during his opening speech at the UN General Assembly.

"We cannot allow the two-state solution to disappear before our eyes."

Guterres also said the death and destruction in Gaza is unlike anything he has seen during his time as the UN's head.

Guterres calls for 'world built on interdependence'

In his opening remarks of the UN General Assembly, the Secretary General Antonio Guterres lamented the continuation of wars "with devastating consequences" that hurt civilians, humanitarians and human rights.

"The fault lines in the world are widening, cracks have become canyons," Guterres said, adding warnings of AI and of climate change.

Guterres called for "a world built on interdependence" and sustained by "a dense web of economic, political, social and technological connections," also warning of a world with two rival blocs.

"Military alone cannot secure peace, technological power alone cannot commend stability," he continued.