World leaders have arrived in New York for the United Nations General Assembly as wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, economic instability and concerns over artificial intelligence dominate the international agenda.
The gathering comes as the United States and Iran remain locked in an escalating conflict that has disrupted global energy markets and spread instability across the Middle East.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to address the assembly.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also expected in New York as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues into its fifth year.
Zelenskyy said Sunday that he and President Donald Trump had agreed to meet during the gathering to discuss the war and diplomatic efforts aimed at ending it.
Artificial intelligence is also expected to receive significant attention.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for international cooperation on AI governance as governments and technology companies debate how rapidly the technology should advance and what safeguards should accompany its development.
The meeting comes at a difficult moment for the United Nations itself. The organization faces continued criticism over its inability to stop major wars, partly because permanent members of the Security Council can veto proposed action.
The United States has also reduced some financial support for international institutions under Trump.
Despite those challenges, the General Assembly remains one of the few forums where leaders from countries involved in major geopolitical disputes gather in the same city at the same time.
