Biden Urges Global Leaders at the UN to Confront Russia, Cautions Against Allowing Ukraine to Be Dismembered

In an emphatic plea before the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, President Joe Biden stressed the need for international unity in safeguarding Ukraine from Russian hostilities. He issued a stark warning that the security of nations would be jeopardized if the world allowed Ukraine to be “dismembered,” as he sought to galvanize international backing for Ukraine’s struggle against an ongoing Russian invasion that has persisted for nearly 19 months.

The U.S. President pressed international leaders to sustain their support for Ukraine, positing that Russia was banking on international exhaustion from the drawn-out conflict in Kyiv, which would, in turn, enable it to “subjugate Ukraine with impunity.” Biden contended that Russia alone was obstructing a peaceful solution, asserting that Moscow’s terms for ending the conflict involved the “complete surrender, territorial concessions, and exploitation of Ukraine’s youth.”

Addressing the assembly, Biden posed a question: “Should we forsake America’s core values to pacify an aggressor, could any member state within this body feel assured of its security?” He went on to say, “If we permit the disintegration of Ukraine, can any nation’s sovereignty truly be guaranteed?”

He added, “I submit that the answer is categorically no.” He urged the assembled leaders to confront “this flagrant aggression now to deter potential aggressors in the future.”

Throughout his speech, Biden outlined various global partnerships that the United States was cultivating, ranging from Africa to the Indo-Pacific, emphasizing these alliances were aimed at economic and other forms of progress, rather than “encircling any nation”—an oblique reference to China.

“As far as China is concerned, let me articulate with clarity and consistency,” Biden remarked. “Our objective is to manage competition between our countries in a manner that prevents it from escalating into conflict.”

In his half-hour discourse, the President consistently underscored the significance of global institutions such as the United Nations and the merits of international coalitions. He reiterated his unwavering support for democratic principles, describing them as indispensable tools for meeting global challenges.

The annual gathering offered Biden an opportunity to illustrate to world leaders, as well as to the American electorate contemplating the 2024 presidential race, that he had restored a diminished U.S. global stature, which he claimed had suffered under his predecessor, Donald Trump.

At fundraising events the evening before, Biden drew contrasts between his stance and that of Trump, questioning whether the latter would have taken measures to help Ukraine resist Russian territorial encroachment had he been in office. “I will not pander to autocrats like Putin. Unlike Trump and his MAGA associates, I shall not capitulate,” Biden proclaimed at a Broadway fundraiser.

While prominent leaders like British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Russian President Vladimir Putin were notably absent from the assembly, Biden’s focus was arguably more domestic as he endeavored to convince voters of his competent management of a nuanced foreign policy portfolio.

Amid internal discord within Congress over extending additional financial aid to Ukraine, Biden has proposed a package of $13.1 billion in military assistance and $8.5 billion in humanitarian aid for the country. Yet, conservative Republicans advocating for sweeping federal budget cuts have been particularly resistant to such allocations.

In addition to reiterating U.S. support for Ukraine, Biden is anticipated to discuss mobilizing international resources for combating climate change and strengthening multilateral organizations to assist impoverished and middle-income countries, according to senior administration officials.

Following the U.N. address, Biden was scheduled to meet with António Guterres, the U.N. Secretary-General, as well as leaders from the Central Asian nations comprising the C5 group—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The talks were expected to revolve around regional security, trade, governance reforms, and other pertinent issues.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has been actively engaging with these Central Asian countries. During a summit in May, Xi pledged to expand railway and trade connections and proposed joint development of oil and gas reserves.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stressed that Biden’s meeting with the Central Asian leaders was not intended as a countermeasure against Chinese influence but as part of a positive global agenda.

Although leaders of the other permanent U.N. Security Council members were absent from the event, Biden’s participation underscores the value he places on the annual diplomatic forum.

Biden does not intend to participate in a special climate summit hosted by Guterres on Wednesday. However, U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry will represent the United States. Biden is set to meet Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later in the week to discuss various issues, including Iran.

Scheduled for Thursday are White House talks between Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The reporting was conducted from Washington by Kim.

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• President Biden’s U.N. General Assembly Speech Transcript
• U.N. Charter on National Sovereignty
• U.S.-China Relations and Policy
• NATO’s Role in Ukraine
• U.S. Congressional Debate on Ukraine Aid Package
• Profile: António Guterres, U.N. Secretary-General
• The C5 Group of Central Asian Nations
• U.S. Climate Policy and International Commitments
• 2024 U.S. Presidential Elections: Potential Candidates and Issues
• Status of Russian Aggression in Ukraine