Trump Returns to UN as Gaza War, Ukraine Conflict and Iran Tensions Dominate

Report by “Safarti Tarjuman” International News Desk

United Nations – World leaders will gather in New York next week for the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where debates will be dominated by the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine, rising recognition of Palestinian statehood, and escalating tensions over Iran’s nuclear program. At center stage will be U.S. President Donald Trump, making his return to the UN podium eight months into his second term.

Trump, who has long criticized multilateral institutions, is expected to highlight his administration’s achievements while questioning the UN’s effectiveness. In his first term, he cut U.S. foreign aid, withdrew funding from the Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, pulled the U.S. out of UNESCO and the Paris Climate Agreement, and signaled plans to exit the World Health Organization.

Despite those moves, Trump has described the UN as having “great potential,” provided it “gets its act together.” Analysts expect him to use his speech to reinforce his America-first agenda and possibly renew calls for a Nobel Peace Prize.

The war in Gaza, now nearing its second year, looms large. A humanitarian watchdog has warned that famine has already gripped the enclave and could spread by month’s end. Israel recently launched a ground assault on Gaza City, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—facing an ICC arrest warrant for alleged war crimes, which Israel denies—will address the Assembly on Friday.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, denied a U.S. visa, will appear via video for both the General Assembly and a France–Saudi Arabia–hosted summit on Monday aimed at advancing a two-state solution. Several Western nations, including Australia, Belgium, Britain, Canada, and France, are preparing to formally recognize a Palestinian state.

The war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year, will also command attention. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are both scheduled to speak, though no breakthrough is anticipated. The UN Security Council is expected to convene special sessions on both Ukraine and Gaza.

Diplomats are also bracing for last-minute negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program ahead of a looming September 28 deadline, when all UN sanctions could be reimposed on Tehran. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will be in New York for talks.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that global cooperation is “straining under pressures unseen in our lifetimes,” citing widening geopolitical divides, escalating conflicts, and climate threats. With nearly 150 heads of state and dozens of ministers set to attend, Guterres called the session the “World Cup of diplomacy.”

Trump and Guterres are expected to meet formally for the first time since Trump’s return to office, amid uncertainty over whether U.S. disengagement will continue to weaken the UN’s global role.

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