World leaders are gathering in New York this week for the UN General Assembly, bracing for President Donald Trump’s return to the rostrum for a second year running, with talks centering on widening conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine alongside the risks of artificial intelligence.
Nearly 130 heads of state are meeting with the post-World War Two order under strain. The UN itself is struggling to remain relevant while weathering attacks from Trump, who has slashed American contributions and withdrawn from dozens of bodies. Chinese leader Xi Jinping will skip New York in favor of one-on-one talks with Trump in Washington on Thursday, fueling debate about the organization’s role in addressing global crises. Compounding the crisis of morale and finance are questions regarding the next leader of the 80-year-old organization, as Secretary-General Antonio Guterres completes his term at the end of 2026 with no clear frontrunner.
According to Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group, the UN is stuck in an open-ended crisis rather than freefall. While the US avoided losing its vote by paying $725 million in contributions to the regular budget this week, it still owes the organization more than a billion dollars while demanding ongoing cuts and reforms.
Growing AI Risks and Global Guardrails
The assembly meets shortly after several artificial intelligence industry leaders called for a coordinated slowdown of the technology’s development, warning it could soon escape human control. Guterres noted that AI will be a major topic of discussion, emphasizing that countries pushing its frontiers should establish common guardrails to avoid a race to the bottom.
The stance has put Guterres at odds with Trump, who dismissed AI risks as a hoax, claiming a sick conspiracy exists against the technology and arguing that China would benefit from doubts cast on its development.
Middle East Escalation and Diplomatic Standoffs
The Middle East will remain a primary focus as the US-Israeli war on Iran continues to drive global inflation and destabilize the region. Recent gains by Houthi militants threaten shipping in the vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait and risk further spiking energy prices. Peace talks remain stalled as Iran and the US exchange strikes and Trump threatens a major escalation.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to address the assembly on Wednesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to speak on Thursday, while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will address the gathering via video after the US denied him a visa. A high-level meeting on the conflict in Sudan is also anticipated on the sidelines.
Ukraine War and Food Security Concerns
Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine also features heavily on the agenda. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will address the General Assembly, with Zelenskiy seeking to shore up support ahead of a difficult winter.
The Security Council remains unable to take action to end the conflict due to Russia’s permanent veto. Guterres highlighted the devastating impact of the war on civilians, food security, and energy prices, stressing the urgent need to secure safe passage for Ukrainian and Russian food, fertilizer, and energy exports through the Black Sea.
(Reuters)
