The 81st United Nations (UN) General Assembly brought world leaders to New York from Sept. 22 to 28, 2026, for a week of debate over escalating conflicts, international security, and the growing challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI).
In his final annual General Assembly address before his term ends in December, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the international community faces four defining challenges: war, inequality, climate change, and AI.
“Across all four tests, the decisive issue is power. Power over force, money, energy, technology, rules and the future. That is why the UN Charter – and the work of the United Nations – matter more than ever,” Guterres said.
Despite renewed diplomatic efforts, the gathering produced no major breakthroughs on the world’s most pressing conflicts. According to Reuters, limited progress was made in discussions involving Iran and Ukraine, while disagreements over AI governance highlighted divisions among major powers.
The week’s major developments included disputes over Gaza, warnings about Iran’s nuclear program, and calls for international cooperation on AI.
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Palestine
Several world leaders criticized Israel’s military operations in Gaza and continued settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, warning that both developments threatened prospects for lasting peace.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the assembly through a prerecorded video after the United States denied visas to him and his delegation. According to the United Nations, Abbas accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza through military attacks, starvation, and forced displacement. He also condemned settlement expansion and violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
“For how long will some States continue to remain silent about Israel, or supply it with the weapons it uses against our people?” Abbas asked.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his government’s security policies, citing threats posed by Hamas and Iran while rejecting international criticism of Israel’s military actions following the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023.
France, Canada, and the United Kingdom, which have recognized Palestinian statehood, reiterated their support for a two-state solution.
French President Emmanuel Macron strongly criticized the humanitarian situation in Gaza and questioned the effectiveness of U.S.-led peace efforts.
“What credibility do we have if we continue to remain inactive in the face of Gaza,” Macron said.
According to Reuters, Macron argued that diplomatic claims of progress had not translated into meaningful improvements in humanitarian access. He also warned that continued Israeli settlement activity threatened the possibility of establishing an independent Palestinian state.
Trump and Iran
U.S. President Donald Trump used his General Assembly address to highlight his administration’s foreign policy achievements, including the January capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces, the release of hundreds of Venezuelan political prisoners, and a major oil agreement.
According to an Aug. 31 White House fact sheet, the agreement grants American interests majority control over approximately 65 billion barrels of proven Venezuelan oil reserves through long-term concessions covering 17 oil fields.
The administration said the arrangement would expand American access to energy resources, encourage investment in Venezuela’s oil industry, and eventually reduce energy costs.
Trump also reiterated his determination to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, claiming previous U.S. military operations had devastated the country’s nuclear facilities.
He warned that Washington could pursue further military action if Tehran refused to reach an agreement.
“I have a big decision to make — will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before… or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again,” Trump said.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian rejected Washington’s accusations and defended Iran’s military response to U.S. and Israeli attacks, including strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iranian civilians.
“We are not terrorists, our innocent people have been the targets of cowardly attacks and aggressions imposed upon our country,” Pezeshkian said.
He also maintained that Iran has the right to develop peaceful nuclear technology. The dispute centers primarily on Tehran’s uranium enrichment activities, its nuclear stockpiles, and international verification requirements.
Despite the heated exchanges, Reuters reported that American and Iranian officials resumed indirect discussions through mediators during the assembly.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi communicated with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, although no immediate agreement emerged.
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AI warnings
Artificial intelligence emerged as one of the assembly’s most prominent subjects, with world leaders debating its economic potential, security implications, and the need for international oversight.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb described AI as the “most consequential technology in the history of mankind,” warning that its development would profoundly influence economies, political systems, and international security.
“It will impact science, the economy, politics, security, and the very essence of our humanity,” Stubb said, advocating greater international cooperation.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng supported developing AI “for the positive and for good,” while Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan called for stronger governance to address emerging technological risks.
At a Sept. 23 UN Security Council meeting, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei urged governments to cooperate on managing AI-related security threats.
According to Reuters, the discussions reflected growing international concerns that increasingly autonomous AI systems could create risks extending beyond national borders.
Trump, however, rejected proposals for international control of AI, warning against what he described as a globalist scheme to regulate the technology.
The disagreement highlighted competing approaches to AI governance, with some governments emphasizing international safeguards and others prioritizing national control and technological competitiveness.
In his closing remarks, General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman emphasized the importance of democratic accountability, citing a warning from Albania’s delegation:
“No machine possesses democratic legitimacy. No algorithm inherits constitutional responsibility.”
Rahman argued that governments must remain responsible for decisions involving AI, particularly as the technology becomes increasingly influential in public administration, security, and economic development.
Diplomatic progress limited amid growing challenges
The assembly also exposed continuing doubts about the UN’s ability to resolve international conflicts amid widening divisions among major powers.
Wars in the Middle East and Ukraine remained central concerns, particularly because of their effects on global food supplies, energy markets, and regional security.
Despite the disagreements, the gathering provided opportunities for diplomatic engagement.
According to Reuters, U.S. and Iranian representatives resumed indirect communications, while discussions involving Ukraine and Russia raised the possibility of a limited ceasefire covering grain shipments and energy infrastructure.
However, neither initiative produced a major breakthrough.
International Crisis Group analyst Richard Gowan told Reuters that the UN was no longer in “freefall” but remained in an “open-ended crisis.”
“The UN may not be in emergency care like it was last year, but it seems to be trapped in a trauma center for the foreseeable future,” Gowan said.
Another notable development was Chinese President Xi Jinping’s absence from the General Assembly despite meeting Trump in Washington during the same week.
Vice President Han Zheng represented Beijing, reiterating China’s support for Palestinian self-governance, reconstruction in Gaza, and a two-state solution.
China has frequently sent senior representatives rather than Xi himself to General Assembly meetings. Nevertheless, his absence drew attention amid continuing diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Washington.
With Guterres preparing to leave office at the end of December, the assembly underscored the challenges facing his successor.
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