President Biden delivered his final address as president to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, in what is likely to be one of his final addresses on the world stage, capping a decades-long political career focused on foreign policy.
He cited the “amazing course of history” he has seen in his more than 50 years in public service, and expressed optimism despite ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.
“Even from the horrors of war, there is a way forward,” Biden said. “Things can get better. We must never forget that.”
“I know that many people look at the world today and feel troubled and despair,” the president said, “but I don’t think that’s the case. I don’t intend to.”
World leaders gathered in New York for the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, colloquially known as UNGA. The themes of the President’s address encompassed many of the foreign policy themes throughout his administration, including uniting the world around Ukraine, managing global competition, and emphasizing the importance of upholding the UN Charter. On Tuesday, the President urged world leaders to remember that “there are more important things than staying in power,” and emphasized the value of “we the people” following his decision to step aside for reelection.
Julia DeMarie Nickinson/AP
“We must never forget who we represent,” Biden said. “We are the people. These are the first words of the Constitution, the American ideal itself, and inspired the opening words of the United Nations Charter. I have made the preservation of our democracy a central goal of my presidency. This summer, I was faced with the decision of whether to seek a second term as President. It was a difficult decision. Being President has been the honor of my life. There is much more I want to accomplish. But as much as I love my job, I love my country even more. After 50 years in public service, I have decided that it is time for a new generation of leaders to lead our country forward. My fellow leaders, never forget that there are more important things than staying in power.”
Continuing tensions in the Middle East will also dominate the meeting. Biden said he believes an agreement on a ceasefire and hostage negotiations is close, but nearly a year after the deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas that sparked the war, no deal has materialized. Earlier this month, Biden said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Make a good effort to secure the deal“The world must not shrink from the tragedy of October 7th,” Biden said, adding that innocent civilians in Gaza are also “going through hell.”
“Since October 7, we have been determined to prevent a major war that would engulf the entire region,” the president said. “Hezbollah took part, unprovoked, in the October 7 attack, firing rockets into Israel. Nearly a year later, too many people remain displaced on both sides of the Israeli-Lebanese border. All-out war is in no one’s interest.”
missile Crash into South Lebanon The Lebanese health ministry said Israel launched attacks on Monday that killed around 500 people. Hezbollah Weapons were hidden in the house. The explosion came as Israel warned of a new wave of attacks against Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon and warned civilians to flee buildings and areas where the groups are stationing weapons and fighters. A senior government official called relations between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon “delicate and dangerous.”
Seth Wenig/AP
Russia’s war with Ukraine is also a focus of the UN General Assembly, as it was last year, and Biden has made uniting the world around Ukraine a central theme of his presidency. Biden said Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had “failed” to fulfill his main objective of finding that Ukraine remains free and that NATO is “bigger, strong and united” than ever before.
Following in the footsteps of former President Donald Trump, who had a more isolationist approach to allies, Biden has stressed that close ties with allies are in the US’s best interest, a view he reiterated on Tuesday.
“Leaders, I truly believe that we stand at a new turning point in world history, and that the choices we make today will define our future for decades to come,” Biden said Tuesday. “Will we defend the principles that unite us? Will we stand firm against aggression? Will we end current escalating conflicts? Will we address global challenges like climate change, hunger and disease?”
It’s a busy week on foreign policy for the president. Met Over the weekend, he will meet with leaders of Indo-Pacific security partners Japan, Australia and India at his home in Wilmington, Delaware. He will also meet with world leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly and with the president of Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House Thursday.
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contributed to this report.