Biden delivers final speech as president

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky says war with Russia ‘closer to end’ as he prepares to present ‘victory plan’ during US trip

Zelensky is in New York today for the UN General Assembly and has called on allies to strengthen his country’s military. Zelensky has repeatedly called on the US and UK to lift restrictions that prohibit Ukraine from using the weapons they supply to attack targets deep inside Russia.

“We are closer to the end of the war. We just have to be very strong, very strong,” Zelensky said in an interview with ABC News.

“The plan for victory is to strengthen Ukraine,” he continued. “That’s why we ask our friends, our allies, to strengthen us. It’s very important.”

The United Nations has adopted a new agreement after nine months of negotiations. It aims to revitalize the organization by reaffirming the primacy of international law and addressing the problems of the 21st century.

This includes new commitments to tackle challenges such as climate change, artificial intelligence, inequality and conflict.

It was unclear whether the pact would be adopted, with Russia proposing an amendment that would weaken the agreement and arguing that “nobody” was happy with it. However, some 143 countries, including all 54 African states, voted against adopting Russia’s amendment, which received the support of just six states.

The 193-member international organization finally approved the document on Sunday, but Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said Moscow would “distance itself from the consensus on this document.”

President Joe Biden will make his final appearance as commander-in-chief before the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday morning amid escalating conflict in the Middle East, Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and growing global concerns about China’s influence.

His speech came against the backdrop of the final stretch of the presidential race before Election Day, knowing that his successor — either Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump — will face the same issues in the White House and may handle them in very different ways.

They are also Biden’s first remarks before the General Assembly since Hamas attacked Israel in October and the conflict that erupted in the Gaza Strip left thousands of civilians dead. He will speak to leaders of other countries as hopes for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas have faded.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters last week that Biden will “reaffirm America’s leadership on the global stage” in New York and “mobilize global action to address the world’s most pressing challenges.”

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Japan’s Foreign Minister, during a meeting with her Chinese counterpart in New York yesterday, demanded clearer explanations of the circumstances surrounding the stabbing death of a Japanese boy in China.

Yoko Kamikawa asked Beijing to severely punish the alleged perpetrator, who was detained at the scene, and take stronger steps to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens in China after the attack on Wednesday as the 10-year-old was on his way to a Japanese school in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Beijing should also crack down firmly on anti-Japanese comments on the Internet, she told Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat.

Wang said Japan should look at the situation “calmly and rationally” and not politicize or escalate what he called an “isolated incident” whose motive is unclear. He said China will continue to ensure the safety of all foreigners in China, according to a readout of the meeting from China’s Foreign Ministry.

The meeting also came after Beijing announced last week that China and Japan had ended a dispute over the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the destroyed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The dispute included a Chinese ban on imports of Japanese seafood, although it is unclear when those imports will resume.

World leaders gathered today for the United Nations General Assembly in New York amid ongoing and escalating conflict in the Middle East, with wars raging in Ukraine and Sudan.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced his opening speech at the State of the World conference by saying that “our world is heading in the wrong direction — and we need tough decisions to get back on track.”

President Joe Biden will address the UN General Assembly this morning for the last time as commander-in-chief, but it will be his first since the Hamas attack on Israel in October and the conflict in the Gaza Strip that killed thousands of civilians.

Brazilian President Lula da Silva and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are also scheduled to deliver speeches today.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are scheduled to speak on Thursday.

The full schedule of appearances can be viewed here.