Biden at UN to call Russian war an affront to body’s charter
NEW YORK (AP) — President Joe Biden is ready to make his case to world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly Russia’s “naked aggression” in Ukraine is an affront to the core of what the international body stands for as he wants to unite allies to stand firmly behind Ukrainian resistance.
Biden is also scheduled to meet the new British Prime Minister Liz Truss on Wednesday during the UN General Assembly, Announcing a global food security initiative and urging allies to achieve the $18 billion goal to complement the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
But White House officials said the key to the president’s visit to the United Nations this year will be a sweeping condemnation of Russia as its brutal war approaches the seven-month mark.
“He will firmly condemn Russia’s unjust war in Ukraine and call on the world to continue to oppose the blatant aggression we have seen over the past few months,” White House National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan said in the trailer for the president’s remarks. “At a time when the permanent members of the Security Council touch the heart of the charter by challenging the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty, he will stress the importance of strengthening the United Nations and reaffirm the core principles of its charter.”
The speech came as Russia-controlled eastern and southern regions of Ukraine announced plans to hold a Kremlin-backed referendum Become part of Russia in the next few days and Moscow loses ground in the invasion.
As leaders gather this year, Biden faces a number of conundrums.
Apart from Russia’s war in Ukraine, Europe fears recession May be just around the corner.Government concerns grow as time rushes to restore Iran nuclear deal And China’s arguing with Taiwan.
When he spoke at last year’s conference, Focusing on the broad theme of global partnership, Biden urged world leaders to act quickly on the coronavirus, climate change and human rights abuses. He assured that his presidency would mark the return of American leadership to international institutions after Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy.
But a year later, the global dynamic has changed dramatically.
Stuart Patrick, senior fellow and director of the Global Order and Institutions Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington think tank, wrote in an article. analyze Compared to his first U.N. address as president, Biden’s task this year is “huge.”
“Last year, the American leader won handily plaudits in the name of ‘anti-Trump’ and promised ‘America is back,'” said Patrick. “This year demands more. Liberal, rules-based international The system is crumbling, battered by Russian aggression, Chinese ambition, authoritarian attacks, a stalled pandemic recovery, accelerated climate change, doubts about the relevance of the United Nations, and doubts about America’s staying power.”
Besides diplomacy, the president is also doing some political activities.This year’s gathering is less than seven weeks away from the crucial midterm elections In the United States. Shortly after arriving in Manhattan on Tuesday night, Biden spoke at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser that raised nearly $2 million for about 100 participants, and he will hold another fundraiser before returning to Washington on Thursday.
His Wednesday remarks came after Ukrainian troops regained control of large swathes of territory near Kharkiv. But even with Ukrainian forces victorious on the battlefield, much of Europe is feeling the painful pushback from economic sanctions imposed on Russia. Massive cuts in Russian oil and gas have led to sharply higher energy prices, soaring inflation and a heightened risk of a European recession.
Biden’s visit to the United Nations comes as his administration’s efforts to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal appear to have stalled.
The deal brokered by the Obama administration and cancelled by Trump in 2018 provided billions of dollars in sanctions relief in exchange for Iran agreeing to dismantle most of its nuclear program and open its facilities to extensive international inspections.
Sullivan said a breakthrough with Iran was not expected during the convention, but Biden would make it clear in his speech that a deal could still be reached “if Iran is prepared to take its obligations seriously.” He added that government officials would consult with other signatories to the 2015 agreement during this week’s meeting.
After two years of reduced events due to the pandemic, this year’s UN conference has returned to full in-person events. In-person gatherings are canceled in 2020 and leaders have pre-recorded speeches instead; last year was a mix of in-person and pre-recorded speeches. Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are scheduled to host a leadership reception Wednesday night.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has opted not to attend this year’s UN meeting, but China’s actions and intentions will come to the fore in the leaders’ talks.
Last month, UN Human Rights Office raised concerns about possible ‘crimes against humanity’ Oppose Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in western China. Beijing has vowed to suspend cooperation with the office and slammed what it called a Western conspiracy to undermine China’s rise.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government said on Monday that U.S. troops would defend Taiwan after Biden told CBS’ “60 Minutes.” If Beijing tries to invade the self-governing island, it violates U.S. commitments on the matter, but it has not signaled possible retaliation.
The White House said after the interview that there has been no change in U.S. policy toward Taiwan, which China claims is its own. The policy said Washington wanted to see Taiwan’s status resolved peacefully, but did not say whether it might send U.S. troops to respond to a Chinese attack.
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