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BackWorld Leaders Convene at UN General Assembly Amid Global Crises
World Leaders Convene at UN General Assembly Amid Global Crises
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CNBC53 minutes agoPolitics2 min read

World Leaders Convene at UN General Assembly Amid Global Crises

un general assemblydonald trumpemmanuel macron

Quick Look

World leaders gathered at the UN General Assembly in New York to address the U.S.-Iran conflict, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Gaza ceasefire, and AI risks, with Trump threatening Iran, Xi skipping for a Trump summit, and Macron pushing for justice in Ukraine.

AI-generated summary

Why It Matters

The annual UN General Assembly brings world leaders to New York to address pressing global issues, including conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, U.S.-Iran tensions, and emerging challenges like AI risks.

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Spencer Platt | Getty Images News | Getty Images

World leaders descended on New York this week for the annual United Nations General Assembly, where the agenda spans the U.S.-Iran war and Russia's invasion of Ukraine to the fragile ceasefire in Gaza and the risks posed by artificial intelligence.

Nearly 130 heads of state and government started taking the podium on Tuesday, including U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Jordan's King Abdullah II and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani are also attending.

Motorcades, road closures and security details for visiting leaders have choked midtown Manhattan. Inside UN headquarters, delegates face a week of back-to-back speeches and sideline meetings.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Chinese leader Xi Jinping will skip the assembly but head to Washington for a high-level summit with Trump on Wednesday. Leaders from India and Russia are also staying away.

Trump on Tuesday told world leaders at the assembly that he faces a "big decision": make a deal with Iran or "annihilate" the Islamic Republic. He later told reporters that U.S. officials held a "very good" three-hour meeting with Iranian envoys on the sidelines, reviving fragile hopes for a diplomatic off-ramp to the seven-month war.

Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images News | Getty Images

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung set out a three-part plan for "peaceful coexistence" with North Korea. It calls on Pyongyang to "first halt the advancement" of its nuclear program before reducing it.

Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images

Brazil's Lula spoke first, as his country traditionally does. "Brazilian democracy belongs to Brazilians," Lula said. "Brazil is nobody's backyard." He said the UN "is failing in one of its highest missions: to save humanity from the scourge of war."

Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Trump also signed a security agreement with Denmark and Greenland that expands U.S. military access in the semi-autonomous Danish territory of Greenland.

Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Trump then met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for about 40 minutes. He pressed for a Russia-Ukraine energy truce and backed a ban on U.S. diesel exports as fuel prices hit records before the midterms.

Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images News | Getty Images

French President Emmanuel Macron gave his own UN address. "There can be no peace without justice," he said. After meeting Trump, he pledged to push for a moratorium on strikes on Ukraine's energy grid.

Ludovic Marin | Afp | Getty Images

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Gaza "the most inhumane, most shameful concentration camp of our time," prompting Israel's delegation to walk out. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, will address the assembly by video after being denied a U.S. visa.

What to Watch

AI outlook — possibilities, not facts

  • U.S. and Iran will engage in further diplomatic talks to avoid military conflict

    Likely · Within weeks

  • Macron will pursue international support for a moratorium on strikes on Ukraine's energy grid

    Possible · Within months

Open Questions

  • Will the U.S. and Iran reach a diplomatic agreement to avoid war?
  • Can a Russia-Ukraine energy truce be sustained?
  • What concrete actions will follow Macron's push for justice in Ukraine?
  • How will Trump's security agreement with Denmark and Greenland affect Arctic geopolitics?

Related Topics

un general assembly
PeopleDonald TrumpEmmanuel MacronVolodymyr ZelenskyyUrsula von der Leyen
OrganizationsUnited NationsOffice of the President of the United StatesOffice of the President of FranceOffice of the President of Ukraine
PlacesNew YorkUnited Nations HeadquartersWashingtonGreenland
Topicsdonald trumpemmanuel macronvolodymyr zelenskyyxi jinpinglula da silvarecep tayyip erdogan
This article was originally published by CNBC.

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