Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly to unite against Russia’s invasion of his country. He emphasized the need to push back Russia so that the world can focus on solving important global challenges.
Zelenskiy, dressed in his signature olive green shirt, received applause as he addressed the assembly in person, marking his first appearance at the UNGA since Russia’s invasion in 2022.
He stated, “Ukraine is taking every possible step to ensure that no nation in the world dares to attack another after Russian aggression. We need to control weaponization, hold war criminals accountable, bring back displaced people, and make the occupier return to their own land.”
Zelenskiy accused Russia of manipulating global food markets to gain international recognition of its ownership of land seized from Ukraine. He also claimed that Moscow was committing genocide by kidnapping Ukrainian children.
In a gesture toward the Global South, from which he seeks support in his standoff with Russia, Zelenskiy addressed the worsening climate crisis and natural disasters, mentioning recent events like the earthquake in Morocco and floods in Libya.
He emphasized the need for unity to defeat the aggressor and redirect all resources and efforts toward addressing these global challenges.
Earlier on the same day, Ukrainian officials reported that nine people were killed in Russian attacks, including a drone strike that ignited industrial warehouses.
