UN General Assembly 2025: World leaders meet amid Gaza, Ukraine crises

World leaders are gathering this week in New York for the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, with discussions expected to be dominated by the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.

The annual gathering officially opened on 9 September, with the high-level general debate beginning on Tuesday at UN headquarters in Manhattan.

By tradition, Brazil will speak first at the General Assembly debate, followed by the United States as the host country. This custom dates back to the UN's early years, when "no one wanted to speak first, Brazil always offered to speak first", according to the UN's protocol chief.

Brazil has maintained this honour since the 10th General Assembly in 1955. The US speaks second because it hosts the UN General Assembly, after which a complex algorithm determines the sequence of remaining speakers.

The assembly comes at a time of heightened international tensions, with Israel's military campaign in Gaza and Russia's war in Ukraine likely to feature prominently in speeches and diplomatic meetings.

On Monday, France and Saudi Arabia chaired a meeting aimed at building support for Palestinian statehood recognition, despite strong opposition from the United States and Israel. The US remains the only permanent Security Council member not to recognise a Palestinian state.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who was denied a US visa, will address the assembly by video link, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to speak on Friday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in New York earlier on Monday and will participate in both the general debate and bilateral meetings with world leaders.

President Trump is expected to deliver a keynote address to the assembly, accompanied by the First Lady. His schedule includes bilateral meetings with heads of state and participation in multilateral discussions before concluding with remarks at the UN Leaders' Reception.

However, several major powers are sending trusted delegations. Russian President Vladimir Putin will miss the gathering for another consecutive year, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov leading Moscow's delegation. China will be represented by Premier Li Qiang rather than President Xi Jinping, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tasked External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to represent the country.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Jaishankar on Monday to discuss strengthening strategic cooperation between their countries across trade, defence, energy and critical minerals. The EAM also met EU Foreign Ministers at an informal meeting in New York where they had an open exchange of views on multilateralism, India-EU partnership, Ukraine conflict, Gaza, energy and trade.

Additionally Jaishankar also met US Ambassador-designate to India, Sergio Gor where they discussed promoting the relationship between the two countries.

Meanwhile, in one of the most significant developments, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is travelling to New York to address the assembly - the first time a Syrian head of state has done so since 1967.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will attend the debate as Tehran announced it would suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency following UN Security Council sanctions. Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani will also be present following recent Israeli attacks on his nation's capital.

This year's theme is "Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights" - a message of unity that stands in stark contrast to current global divisions.

Annalena Baerbock, Germany's former foreign minister who is serving as president of the 80th session, has framed the gathering as a critical moment for international cooperation.

"To preserve what the UN has achieved since 1945. To renew our United Nations. To make us, the UN, fit for the future, fit for purpose," Ms Baerbock said, concluding with the rallying cry "Better Together!"

The assembly will test whether an organisation founded in the aftermath of global war can foster cooperation in a world facing multiple simultaneous crises.