NEW YORK — World leaders are gathering in New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly amid growing international tensions, with wars in Europe and the Middle East, economic uncertainty and a shifting global order dominating the agenda.
Heads of state, government leaders and foreign ministers arriving for the high level meeting are facing a world that has changed significantly since last year’s gathering.
U.N. Secretary General António Guterres described the current period as one of “deep uncertainty,” warning that global power is shifting and that international institutions must adapt to a changing world.
“World leaders will be gathering at the United Nations in an era of deep uncertainty,” Guterres told reporters ahead of the meeting.
The past year has seen major developments across several regions, including escalating conflicts in the Middle East and Europe.
The conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran has expanded across the region, with the fighting contributing to the effective closure of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
At the same time, Russia’s war against Ukraine continues, with both sides intensifying military attacks in recent days despite repeated diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict.
Beyond the wars, other crises have added to concerns about the international community’s ability to respond to global emergencies.
An outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda earlier this year renewed concerns over global preparedness for future pandemics.
Deadly earthquakes in Venezuela and Colombia, along with severe flash floods in Nepal and Tibet, have also highlighted growing concerns over the impact of climate change on communities around the world.
Against this backdrop, diplomats and officials are questioning whether the United Nations and its 193 member states can reach agreement on some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
Former U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood, who served at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations under both Republican and Democratic administrations, described the moment as a critical one for diplomacy.
“The U.N. is really at an inflection point,” Wood told The Associated Press.
Diplomats from Europe and other regions have similarly expressed concerns that the international situation has become more unstable over the past year.
They pointed to what they described as growing challenges to international law, weak or absent mediation efforts and continued disagreements over climate change, peace and global security.
The General Assembly will also provide an opportunity for leaders to hold bilateral meetings away from the main sessions, with diplomats hoping to use those discussions to address some of the disputes that have stalled progress internationally.
Among the issues expected to feature prominently are maritime security around the Strait of Hormuz and the growing international challenge posed by artificial intelligence.
The speeches of major leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, will also be closely watched for indications of their governments’ positions on ongoing conflicts and international cooperation.
For some diplomats, restoring greater predictability to international relations is a key priority.
A Gulf official said a return to greater stability and predictability on the world stage would be an important outcome of the week’s meetings.
Slovenian Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer said international alliances and partnerships were increasingly changing, but argued that national interests remained a constant factor in diplomacy.
“In international relations, everything is changing: the friendships are changing, and alliances are changing,” Kajzer said. “But what remains constant is the interests and how to align those interests so that we live in peace and not in a permanent conflict.”
As leaders meet in New York, attention will now turn to whether the annual gathering can produce meaningful diplomatic progress at a time when international divisions remain deep.
