For the first time since the start of the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian president is present in person in New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will take the podium at the UN for the first time on Tuesday, attracting all the attention in a fragmented world shaken by serial crises, in particular the invasion of his country by Russia.
A year ago, he was exceptionally authorized to intervene via a video message. This time, he will be there in person, for the high-level session of the annual United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday and a special meeting of the Security Council on Wednesday, before leaving for Washington where he will be received at the White House on Thursday.
“For us, it is very important that our words, all our messages, are heard by our partners,” he said Monday while meeting Ukrainian soldiers injured at the front in a New York hospital.
“A concrete proposal” will be presented
“Ukraine will present a concrete proposal to UN member states on how to strengthen the principle of territorial integrity and improve the UN’s ability to thwart and stop aggression,” he said. .
Since the Russian invasion, an overwhelming majority of countries have adopted several resolutions at the UN General Assembly supporting Ukraine and its territorial integrity or calling for Russian withdrawal.
But after a year and a half of war and cascading impacts on the world, particularly on food security, certain countries of the South are pleading for a diplomatic solution.
“I am aware that for certain leaders, it is important to find a peaceful solution,” noted the President of the European Council Charles Michel. But “for this peace to be lasting, it must respect the principles” of the UN, he tempered.
Biden will also speak
In this context, the intervention from the platform of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is expected. The Brazilian president will be the third speaker of the day, while Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to move to the 14th position.
Unlike several Western powers, Brazil has never imposed financial sanctions on Russia nor agreed to supply munitions to Kiev and is trying to position itself, like China and Indonesia, as a mediator.
As is tradition, the Brazilian will be the first head of state to speak. He will be followed in particular by American President Joe Biden and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is trying to resuscitate the agreement on Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea, or even the South African president.
Apart from the United States, no other permanent member of the Security Council (France, United Kingdom, China, Russia) will be represented at the highest level during this annual high mass.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raïssi will be on the podium Tuesday afternoon, while his country and the United States have just carried out a rare exchange of prisoners, under an agreement including the transfer to Tehran of 6 billion dollars of frozen funds.
Source: BFM TV
