World leaders return to UN amid wars in West Asia and Ukraine
World leaders are gathering for the UN General Assembly amid ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. The event is marked by tensions regarding the UN's relevance, U.S. funding disputes, and concerns over the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
Why it matters
The UN's ability to mediate global crises is under scrutiny as geopolitical tensions rise and international cooperation faces challenges.
World leaders gather 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 the widening conflicts in the West Asia and Ukraine and the risks of artificial intelligence .
Nearly 130 heads of state meet with the post-World War Two order under strain and with the UN itself struggling to remain relevant and weathering attacks from Mr. Trump, who has slashed America's contributions and withdrawn from dozens of UN bodies.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who last addressed the diplomatic jamboree via video in 2021, will skip New York in favour of one-on-one talks with Mr. Trump in Washington on Thursday (September 20, 2026), fuelling debate about the UN's relevance in addressing global crises.
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