The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine cast heavy shadows when world leaders gathered on Monday in New York for what is sometimes described as a cocktail-party-like speech marathon: the UN General Assembly's general debate.
First out was UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who struck a warning tone: about climate change, oppression, and the ongoing wars in the Middle East, Ukraine, and Sudan:
We cannot continue like this, says Guterres, accusing several unnamed countries of believing they can get a "get out of jail free card".
"End the war"
But most anticipated was the American President Biden's fourth and final speech in the General Assembly. He began by looking back at the more than six decades of historical development he himself has witnessed, and where former conflicts have been resolved.
Everything I've seen and everything we've done together shows that there is a way forward.
He then turned to the realpolitik crises weighing on the world. He attacked the Kremlin and Russia's invasion war in Ukraine.
(Russian President Vladimir) Putin's war has failed. Ukraine is still free. And NATO is larger than ever, with two new countries: Sweden and Finland.
We will never let Ukraine fall, continued Biden, receiving the first applause of the speech.
He then commented on the escalating crisis in the Middle East. The message from the US President was concise:
End this war now, said Biden, urging the parties to "complete the peace agreement" backed by mediating countries the USA, Egypt, and Qatar.
Biden also demanded that Israel and Hezbollah must end the escalation of fighting affecting Lebanon.
Immediate backlash
But Biden and the UN chief received immediate backlash from the next speaker, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
It's not just children who die, it's the entire UN system that dies in Gaza.
It is unclear whether Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will speak in the General Assembly. From Israel, the Prime Minister announced that attacks on Hezbollah will continue.
Later on Tuesday, Iran's new President Masoud Pezeshkian will speak, and during the week, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyj will also appear. Russia will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
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Background: UN General Assembly
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The UN General Assembly meets every year in September. The general debate is also held, where leaders from many of the 193 member states speak at the UN headquarters in New York.
The speakers generally have 15 minutes each, and the speech marathon takes several days to complete.
This year's General Assembly is the 79th.
A total of 194 speakers are scheduled in the General Assembly, of which only 19 are women, according to AP.
The UN General Assembly can in principle take up anything except, normally, matters handled by the Security Council. In important issues, a two-thirds majority is required, and each member state has one vote. Unlike the UN Security Council, the General Assembly cannot make binding decisions. It is seen as important for debate and opinion-forming.
