UNGA: World leaders discuss AI, global conflicts
September 23, 2026
Brazil, Germany, India and Japan renew calls for Security Council reform
The foreign ministers of Brazil, Germany, India and Japan on Wednesday called for the reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC), saying it was more urgent than ever.
"Given the increasingly challenging geopolitical environment, UNSC reform is more necessary than ever before," the four foreign ministers said in a joint statement issued after the diplomats met on Tuesday.
The Security Council is a 15-member body with five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the UK and US — known as the P5 and 10 rotating members elected to two-year terms by the General Assembly.
Permanent members enjoy veto powers, which often means the body is kept from carrying out resolutions due to conflicts with the interests of one or more of them.
Editing:Sean Sinico
https://p.dw.com/p/5N60A
Skip next section UNGA day 2: AI, Iran war, climate to dominate debateSeptember 23, 2026
UNGA day 2: AI, Iran war, climate to dominate debate
Beyond speeches by the presidents of Syria, Iran and Ukraine, artificial intelligence (AI), the US-Israeli war in Iran and the still-pressing issue of climate change are set to dominate the agenda at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday.
On day 2 of this 81st UNGA session, tech industry leaders Sam Altman (OpenAI), Dario Amodei (Anthropic) and Clement Delangue (Hugging Face) will brief an emergency meeting of the 15-member UN Security Council. Their attendance comes as international concerns — raised from within the industry — prompt debate over slowing AI development before the new technology potentially spins out of control with unknown consequences.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday blasted calls to slow the technology as part of a "globalist scheme," brushing aside warnings that it could wipe out humanity within years if left unchecked.
After Trump used his General Assembly speech on Tuesday to threaten the annihilation of Iran and to drive its people to hell, the Islamic Republic's President Masoud Pezeshkian will directly address world leaders for the first time since the start of the war against Iran in February.
The conflict in Iran has settled into a hot stalemate, directly impacting neighboring states militarily and the entire globe economically.
Iranian and US representatives have met on the sidelines of the General Assembly in New York, but, as has been the case for months, a peace deal remains elusive and the flow of oil through the blockaded Strait of Hormuz stunted.
Russia's more than four-and-a-half-year full-scale assault on Ukraine will also be the topic of diplomatic debate on Wednesday, with a Security Council session scheduled for the morning and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy set to address the General Assembly in the afternoon.
Lastly, climate urgency is on the slate, with outgoing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres blasting fossil fuel giants for treating the Earth's atmosphere like an "open sewer" for emissions.
He further chided "big oil" for its greed as the world grapples with armed conflict.
"Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, five major Western oil companies have pocketed nearly half a trillion dollars in profits," he said, noting that at the same time just $34 billion (€29.8 billion) had been invested in helping developing countries adapt to a warming world.
Editing:Sean Sinico
https://p.dw.com/p/5N5gz
Skip next section Thanks for reading — we'll be back with more soonSeptember 23, 2026
Thanks for reading — we'll be back with more soon
Thanks for following this blog for on the first day of the UN General Assembly debate. We'll restart coverage later on Wednesday for day 2 of the event.
What's expected on Wednesday?
On day 2 of the debate, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to take the stage as his country fends off Russia for another winter. US top diplomat Marco Rubio is also expected to meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines on Wednesday.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is slated to speak Wednesday, as the US continues its war with Iran.
The UN Security Council will also hold a meeting on AI. Open AI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei are expected to attend the session.
Editing:Roshni Majumdar
https://p.dw.com/p/5N4xR
Skip next section US top diplomat Rubio to meet Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on WednesdaySeptember 23, 2026
US top diplomat Rubio to meet Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on Wednesday
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York City on Wednesday morning, the US State Department said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Donald Trump at the UN headquarters on Tuesday to discuss an end to the 4-year-old war with Russia, including a potential bilateral ceasefire on energy-related targets.
Editing:Wesley Dockery
https://p.dw.com/p/5N4xS
Skip next section UK's Andy Burnham: 'Britain is back'September 23, 2026
UK's Andy Burnham: 'Britain is back'
In his debut as UK prime minister at the UNGA debate, Andy Burnham declared "Britain is back" 10 years after the country dealt with the turbulence caused by Brexit.
Burnham said the UK is "restoring our stability" and "building a more dynamic economy" while seeking trade and working together with other countries to tackle shared problems.
However, he said the UK needs to deal with forces of division and instability. He said this begins with Britain boosting its defense expenditures as a NATO member state and strengthening European capabilities.
Another issue Burnham addressed was disinformation being sowed online by Russia-aligned actors.
"Russian agencies have used every means at their disposal to spread lies and disinformation and prey on people's fear," Burnham said. "They've used bots and fake websites. Falsified newspaper articles. Forged the branding of 28 British organizations — including universities and the BBC. They've amplified far-right narratives."
The UK prime minister said there is evidence that Russia tried to interfere in the 2019 UK general election. He said the Kremlin spends around £1.3 billion ($1.7 billion, €1.5 billion) annually to sow disinformation.
As a solution, Burnham announced the National Centre for Information Defence to fight disinformation which hurts British interests.
Burnham also addressed the issue of AI, saying global standards are needed because "fundamental decisions on this technology are too important to be left to chance." Burnham said the UK will work on convincing other countries regarding rules on AI transparency and access to AI models.
Editing:Roshni Majumdar
https://p.dw.com/p/5N4ul
Skip next section Japan's mission is to lead efforts towards world without nuclear weapons, Takaichi saysSeptember 23, 2026
Japan's mission is to lead efforts towards world without nuclear weapons, Takaichi says
Japan's conservative Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said it her country's "mission" to lead efforts towards a "world without nuclear weapons."
She said this is because Japan is the "the only country to have ever suffered atomic bombings during war." The US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II in 1945 killed and maimed hundreds of thousands people, with the radiation causing illnesses in survivors in the years after.
Takaichi urged a stronger Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty regime. She also warned that North Korea's nuclear and missile programs along with other activities are a "serious threat to international peace and security."
In regards to technology, Takaichi said Japan intends to host an AI safety summit in the future.
The Japanese prime minister also called for a reform of the UN Security Council by expanding both the number of permanent and non-permanent members.
Editing:Roshni Majumdar
https://p.dw.com/p/5N4t6
Skip next section IN PICTURES: Mongolia, Vietnam, Dominica among afternoon speakersSeptember 23, 2026
IN PICTURES: Mongolia, Vietnam, Dominica among afternoon speakers
Editing:Roshni Majumdar
https://p.dw.com/p/5N4pV
Skip next section North Korea's vice foreign minister traveling to UNGASeptember 23, 2026
North Korea's vice foreign minister traveling to UNGA
North Korea's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Kim Son Gyong has departed from Pyongyang to attend the UN General Assembly debate in New York City, North Korean state media outlet KCNA reported.
It's unclear whether Kim will meet with officials from the Trump administration.
During his first term, Trump pushed for a deal where North Korea would give up its nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief.
Trump had met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, Hanoi and the Korean Demilitarized Zone in 2018 and 2019 to discuss a possible deal, but ultimately a final agreement never materialized after talks broke down in Sweden in October 2019.
South Korea proposes talks to officially end war with North
Editing:Roshni Majumdar
https://p.dw.com/p/5N4nm
Skip next section Zelenskyy meets Trump, says US and Ukraine want war to end before winterSeptember 22, 2026
Zelenskyy meets Trump, says US and Ukraine want war to end before winter
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly debate.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy characterized the meeting with Trump as "positive and productive."
"Both the US and Ukraine want to see this senseless Russian war ended before winter. We discussed potential de-escalatory steps that can open up the way to diplomacy," Zelenskyy said.
"I am grateful that in the meantime our teams keep working on launching Patriot interceptor production in Ukraine. This is what will help proect lives, should Russia spurn the negotiations and keep betting on ballistic missile terror against our people this winter and beyond," the Ukrainian leader added.
Zelenskyy said he also discussed a winter package of air defense for Ukraine with Trump, among other issues.
The negotiation process between Ukraine and Russia is still stalled, with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner visiting Moscow and Kyiv earlier this month to jumpstart the talks. It comes as Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine will hit its 5-year anniversary in February 2027.
In comments to journalists after the 40-minute meeting, Zelenskyy said the two leaders discussed an energy ceasefire. Zelenskyy said "we are ready for any kind of format of energy ceasefire" if Russia agrees to "not attack our energy system."
Donald Trump blames Ukraine for record US diesel prices
Trump has criticized Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries. He has, without evidence, blamed the Ukrainian attacks for raising the price of diesel fuel, as the US war with Iran disrupts energy shipments from the Strait of Hormuz.
Editing:Roshni Majumdar
https://p.dw.com/p/5N4kB
Skip next section Macron calls for open-source AI model not dependent on US, ChinaSeptember 22, 2026
Macron calls for open-source AI model not dependent on US, China
Towards the end of his wide-ranging address, French President Emmanuel Macron said there was a need for nations to develop their own artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities so as not to be beholden to the US and China.
"France is proud to have a competitive frontier model" he said, likely referring to Mistral AI.
Macron said likeminded nations such as India, Brazil, Singapore, African nations and the Gulf states should pool not only their financial resources but also their data processing capacity.
"I don't want anyone to become the vassal of one of the great powers. Rather, we must come together to build an open-source frontier model, a cutting-edge model," he told the UN General Assembly.
"Our investment capabilities must be pooled to build a cutting-edge open-source AI model, which we will share. We should not depend on somebody else," he added.
Editing:Zac Crellin
https://p.dw.com/p/5N4ep
Skip next section Macron: 'Shame on all of us' of failing to do more for GazaSeptember 22, 2026
Macron: 'Shame on all of us' of failing to do more for Gaza
French President Emmanuel Macron was addressing the General Assembly for the last time, as his term limit approaches and presidential elections beckon early next year.
He alluded to his previous visit to the event in New York, when a dozen countries including France announced plans to recognize Palestinian statehood.
"I understand that some of you are very cynical," Macron said, and some people would argue this recognition was only on paper and did not address the reality of the situation.
"But what is our credibility worth if we remain inactive on Gaza?" he asked. "Some claim that peace has been achieved, but this has not opened up humanitarian deliveries. The scenes, the spectacle, it is shameful. Shame on all of us!"
Macron said that what was needed was respect for the "legitimate rights" of the Palestinian people, arguing that this was a "prerequisite for security" not just for Palestinians but also for Israel.
"But all those who claim that Israel's security requires the violation of the sovereignty of all of its neighboring states are making a very fateful error," Macron said. "They are weakening Israel's security, today, and going forward. They are threatening Israel's security, in fact."
What did Macron suggest regarding Ukraine?
Macron said that France and its allies would continue providing "unstinting support" to Kyiv, but he also floated a suggestion similar to those made by others involved either in the conflict or the efforts to broker a stop to the fighting.
He proposed a "double moratorium," saying that both Ukraine and Russia should commit to stop strikes on each others's energy infrastructure and on grain shipments in the Black Sea.
"Winter is coming," Macron said, explaining, "We'd like to express our support [for] a double moratorium. A moratorium on strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure, that's first. And a Black Sea moratorium which would allow us to release grain shipments."
In times of peace both Russia and Ukraine are prolific agricultural exporters, and use the Black Sea to ship their produce.
Part of supporting Ukraine, Macron said, was working to ensure that "useful negotiations" between the two sides start as quickly as possible. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was attending Tuesday's session; Russia's Vladimir Putin was not expected to travel to New York, or at least he has not done so since the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Editing:Zac Crellin
https://p.dw.com/p/5N4Wy
Skip next section Trump tells reporters US and Iranian officials metSeptember 22, 2026
Trump tells reporters US and Iranian officials met
A few hours after his speech at the assembly warning he was prepared to "annihilate" Iran if necessary, US President Donald Trump told reporters that American and Iranian officials had met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
"The had a very good meeting, a very productive meeting," Trump told reporters, saying it had lasted roughly three hours.
"They have another one scheduled in the very near future," he said.
Trump's speech, not unusually for the US president, contained mixed messages on Iran: a combination both of bombastic threats but also assertions that a "deal" to end the fighting was also a realistic prospect.
"I have a big decision to make,” Trump had said during his speech earlier. “Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before, maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?”
Editing:Zac Crellin
https://p.dw.com/p/5N4Wv
Skip next section Finland's Stubb: Choose cooperation, and competition, over conflictSeptember 22, 2026
Finland's Stubb: Choose cooperation, and competition, over conflict
Finland's President Alexander Stubb told the audience that the world faced a "choice between cooperation and conflict."
He said that a third "c" was natural and should not cause concern, provided the right balance was struck.
"Competition will always be there. Nations compete now harder than they did a generation ago. This doesn't worry me. What does, is that more and more of them now compete against the rules on which the international order rests," Stubb said.
Stubb said he wanted to defend those rules and the spirit of cooperation and multilateralism underpinning them.
"Small nations need it to survive, and large nations need it to be great," said Stubb, president of a country with a population only around the size of the US state of South Carolina or the Chinese city of Jinan.
Stubb said the rules were the best ways to ensure "that competition does not escalate into conflict, and that cooperation gains ground."
Stubb cited a quote, that itself seemed a riff on another Winston Churchill adage, that's sometimes attributed to former US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott: "Multilateralism is hell and can be a real pain in the neck, but it is the best option for humanity as a whole."
The Finnish president said that "currently, however, we appear to be going the other way — more towards a non-cooperative and multi-polar world order."
Though he said he see it might be tempting, particularly for larger powers, he called it a fundamentally "short-sighted approach" that "will turn against us, whether you represent a great power, a middle power, or a small state like Finland."
Editing:Zac Crellin
https://p.dw.com/p/5N4WV
Skip next section Lithuania's President Nauseda urges assembly not to forget UkraineSeptember 22, 2026
Lithuania's President Nauseda urges assembly not to forget Ukraine
The first Baltic leader to speak, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, began by delineating his country's plans to help defusing mines in the Strait of Hormuz or helping bring about the Gaza peace plan — but he urged the assembly not to forget the longer-running conflict closest to his home.
"Ladies and gentleman, the one conflict that poses the greatest threat to the world order is Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," Nauseda said, even 12 years after it began with the annexation of Crimea and the beginnings of a Russian-backed uprising in eastern Ukraine.
In that time, Nauseda said, "Russia has escalated from clandestine operations and limited warfare in eastern Ukraine to massive military operations, mass killings, and ultimately the largest drone attacks against civilian infrastructure the world has ever seen."
He noted how the full-blown war, starting with Russia's February 2022 invasion, had now lasted longer than the first World War. Nauseda said that despite massive casualties, Russian progress had slowed to a snail's pace and Ukraine's culture, language and institutions stood tall.
Nauseda said that only a Ukrainian victory could safeguard ideals like the UN Charter.
"What we cannot allow is brute force prevailing over international law," he said. "We cannot tolerate any longer Moscow's colonial aspirations."
He said these aspirations reached far into "Europe, Africa and Asia," and said that no country should consider itself immune.
In Lithuania's case, he said Russia's war of aggression had led to "numerous violations of our airspace by combat drones," to intensified hybrid attacks, disinformation and sabotage efforts.
He said that where Russia advanced in opening this "new Pandora's box of new techniques for destablization, other hostile actors follow, learning new skills and ideas."
Editing:Zac Crellin
https://p.dw.com/p/5N4TF
Skip next section Qatar's emir says Gulf going through 'one of its most dangerous phases'September 22, 2026
Qatar's emir says Gulf going through 'one of its most dangerous phases'
Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said the current crisis in the Gulf "should come as no surprise to anyone" as he took to the podium in New York.
"It is the cumulative result of years of postponing crisis management through temporary solutions and unrealistic policies," he said of the war between the US and Iran which has sprawled to impact a series of Gulf states.
"At the heart of the dangerous situation we are witnessing lies an absence of a regional system of collective security," Al Thani said. "One that respects the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of states. One that promotes the peaceful settlement of disputes and the non-interference in the internal affairs of states."
He said Qatar had recently called "from this very podium" for such a system and was now reiterating the appeal "after recent events have demonstrated the urgent need for it."
The emir said, without naming Iran or the US at any point in his address, that the absence of such a regional accord had allowed "one party to drag its neighbors into a war that is not theirs, targeting their vital assets and installations, despite their strenuous efforts to avert escalation."
Iran has sometimes struck targets in neighboring Gulf countries with close ties to the US.
Al Thani said that the restrictions on passage through the Strait of Hormuz amounted to the "lifelines of the global economy" being turned into bargaining chips, "with people on every continent bearing the cost, despite being far removed from the causes of the conflict."
The 46-year-old head of state said this was driving up prices not just for fuel but also for core other goods like food and medicine.
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