live UNGA 81: Global conflicts dominate talks as World leaders gather
World leaders gather in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly, with conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and diplomacy set...
Chinese President Xi Jinping told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Tianjin that China will always be a reliable partner of the United Nations, pledging deeper cooperation and support for the organisation’s global role.
Xi Jinping said China stands ready to strengthen cooperation with the United Nations (UN), back its central role in international affairs, and work together to safeguard peace, development and prosperity. He made the remarks in Tianjin on Saturday during a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2025.
Marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the UN, Xi stressed that history shows multilateralism, solidarity and cooperation are the right path to face global challenges. He called for restoring the UN’s authority and vitality so that it can serve as the key platform for coordination among countries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also travelled to Tianjin for the summit, where he received a red-carpet welcome from senior city officials. His four-day visit to China, a rare length of stay for the Russian leader, underscores the growing closeness between Moscow and Beijing.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also held talks with Xi Jinping, where the two leaders reaffirmed their comprehensive strategic partnership and highlighted expanding cooperation in trade, energy and the Belt and Road’s Trans-Caspian route. Armenian President Nikol Pashinyan was also in Tianjin for the summit, underscoring the high-level regional participation.
Additionally, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived in China on Sunday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit as a guest of honour. Accompanied by senior officials, he will join a dinner hosted by Xi Jinping, deliver remarks at Monday’s session, and hold talks with world leaders amidst global tensions.
"In a world of profound changes unseen in a century, China has provided stability and certainty and will continue to bring new opportunities to the world with its new development," Xi said.
Guterres noted that multilateralism and the UN’s authority face growing challenges. He said the international governance structure is in urgent need of reform and stressed that it is timely to revive the UN’s original values set out 80 years ago.
Hailing China as a cornerstone in defending multilateralism, the UN chief said the organisation seeks closer cooperation with Beijing to promote multipolarity, strengthen the voice of developing countries, and ensure the UN plays a stronger role in global affairs.
Senior Chinese officials Cai Qi, Wang Yi and Chen Min’er were also present at the meeting.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was ready to halt strikes on Russian energy facilities if Moscow stops targeting Ukraine’s energy sector, critical infrastructure, and food exports, as he prepared to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in New York.
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes military action against Tehran.
Iran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States eases military pressure and lifts its blockade on Iranian ports, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday.
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Service has said.
Russian parliamentary elections have delivered a comfortable win to the ruling United Russia party, which is closely aligned to President Vladimir Putin. With more than 95 per cent of ballots counted, United Russia has taken 57.83 per cent of the vote, up from the 49.8 per cent it won in 2021.
World leaders gather in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly, with conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and diplomacy set to dominate the week long high-level debate.
A former Rwandan official has appeared in a London court, becoming the first person in the UK to face charges linked to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was ready to halt strikes on Russian energy facilities if Moscow stops targeting Ukraine’s energy sector, critical infrastructure, and food exports, as he prepared to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in New York.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called for the abolition of veto powers and permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council, proposing a system in which all members would instead be elected for fixed terms.
Survivors of a Nigerian detention centre where 37 people died say guards sprayed an unidentified substance into an overcrowded cell and kept the doors locked while detainees struggled to breathe and cried for help.
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