NEW YORK: In his annual address before the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, President Joe Biden is set to present a resolute case to world leaders and the 2024 U.S. electorate, asserting that he has reestablished U.S. leadership on the global stage, which he believes was diminished during the tenure of former President Donald Trump.
White House officials have disclosed that Biden will vigorously advocate for continued support from world leaders to aid Ukraine in repelling a nearly 19-month-old Russian invasion, which shows no signs of abating.
Biden offered a glimpse into his stance during a pair of fundraisers on Monday, where he emphasized his firm response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion and questioned whether his potential 2024 GOP presidential opponent, Donald Trump, would have taken a similar stance to aid Ukraine in resisting the Russian land grab, if he were in power.
There will be notable absences as the president makes his case before the General Assembly: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Putin are all skipping the gathering.
For Biden, the more critical audience for Tuesday’s speech could be closer to home, as he seeks to convince voters that his experience and skillful handling of a complex foreign policy agenda are assets, mitigating concerns about his age within his own Democratic Party.
We rallied the world to support Ukraine and united NATO because I was convinced from the beginning that Putin’s counting on NATO not being able to stick together, Biden stated at another Monday fundraiser. He’s still trying. And our allies know once again, the United States can be counted on.
Biden’s unwavering support for Ukraine will be central to his message, especially as Congress remains divided on providing additional funding for Kyiv. The President has called for a comprehensive package of $13.1 billion in additional military aid for Ukraine and $8.5 billion for humanitarian support. However, conservative Republican lawmakers, some aligned with Trump, are pushing for federal spending cuts, including a halt to aid for Ukraine.
In addition to underscoring continued U.S. support for Ukraine, Biden is expected to address mobilizing global resources to combat climate change and strengthening multilateral organizations to assist poor and middle-income countries, according to senior administration officials.
Biden’s goal is to convey that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine violates the U.N. charter and to emphasize that every nation has a stake in defending a nation’s sovereignty, especially when it is under attack, said the officials, who provided a preview of Biden’s activities in New York this week on condition of anonymity.
Following his address, President Biden will hold meetings with António Guterres, the U.N. secretary-general, and leaders from the C5 group of Central Asian nations, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The discussions are anticipated to center on regional security, trade, climate change, ongoing governance reforms, and other pertinent matters.
