The Ukrainian president takes the podium at the UN for the first time on Tuesday. After a year and a half of war, he intends to make a “concrete proposal” to improve the organization’s capacity to stop the “aggression” of a State.
“It is very important that our words, all our messages, are heard by our partners.” On the eve of the annual United Nations General Assembly, Volodymyr Zelensky did not downplay the scope of his next speech. For the first time, the Ukrainian president will address the UN podium in person on Tuesday, September 19, at 3 p.m. (Paris time). A year ago, he was exceptionally authorized to intervene, but via a video message.
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This speech comes as the world remains divided on the position to adopt regarding the war in Ukraine, which has lasted for a year and a half, and as the Ukrainian counter-offensive is not progressing as quickly as hoped. Through this intervention, kyiv therefore intends to consolidate the support of its allies, and propose measures to strengthen the territorial integrity of States. Franceinfo returns to the challenges of this diplomatic intervention for the Ukrainian head of state.
He wants to consolidate aid from Western allies
Since the start of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has received tens of billions of euros in aid from its Western allies. The United States, kyiv’s main partner, has provided nearly 70 billion euros in aid, recalls the Kiel Institute, a German research center. For their part, the countries of the European Union provided a total of 124.07 billion euros in aid.
But, while NATO believes that the war in Ukraine will be “long” and the counter-offensive led by kyiv is slower than expected, Volodymyr Zelensky continues to call on his partners to intensify their support. On September 8, he blamed the “slowness” Western arms deliveries, demanded long-range weapons as well as new sanctions against Moscow. “There is the fear that weariness will set in on the Western side”observes Ulrich Bounat, associate researcher at the Open Diplomacy Institute.
Volodymyr Zelensky also believes that time is against his country, since Russia is banking on a Republican victory in the 2024 presidential election to weaken American support for Ukraine. But the Ukrainian president’s urgent attitude has aroused the annoyance of his allies. “We are not Amazon (…) People want to see gratitude”had thus denounced the British Minister of Defense, Ben Wallace, cited by the Financial Times during the NATO summit in Vilnius (Lithuania). A warning that Volodymyr Zelensky could take into account during his speech to the United Nations, underlines the New York Times. During the visit of American Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to kyiv on September 6, the Ukrainian president had already made a change of tone by thanking Washington eight times for its support during the conflict.
He will plead Ukraine’s cause to “neutral” states
Since the Russian invasion, an overwhelming majority of countries have adopted several resolutions at the UN General Assembly supporting Ukraine and its territorial integrity, or calling for a departure of troops from Moscow. But several countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America have refused to condemn the Kremlin’s initiative. At the UN podium, Volodymyr Zelensky will therefore have the opportunity to reiterate his request for support from the leaders of these countries.
He could argue that the war is not only a question of European security, but a global economic crisis, analyzes Ulrich Bounat. “Certain countries in the South only see the war in Ukraine through its repercussions: inflation, increase in the price of cereals and hydrocarbons”lists the researcher.
“Volodymyr Zelensky has always wanted to address neutral countries that do not support Russia or Ukraine, in order to rally them to his cause.”
Ulrich Bounat, international relations analystat franceinfo
Some countries in the South, such as Brazil, are also calling for a diplomatic solution. On April 15 in Shanghai (China), Brazilian President Lula estimated that the United States and the EU shouldt “stop encouraging war and start talking about peace”, cites France 24. But Ukraine, like its Western allies, is opposed to any peaceful settlement of the war. “This would amount to freezing the conflict and giving victory to Russia. Moscow would retain the Ukrainian territories annexed since 2014, and those won during the war”, points out Ulrich Bounat. The intervention of Lula, the first head of state to speak at the UN, will therefore be particularly scrutinized.
He will call for strengthening the territorial integrity of States
“Ukraine will present a concrete proposal to UN member states on how to strengthen the principle of territorial integrity and improve the UN’s ability to thwart and stop aggression”, warned Volodymyr Zelensky on X (ex-Twitter). Speaking at the United Nations, the Ukrainian president “has the opportunity to situate the fate of his country in a framework with which others can identify (…) such as respect for sovereignty”which constitutes one of the founding principles of the UN, underlines to Release Stewart Patrick, researcher at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Disseminated in many countries, Russian propaganda asserts that Moscow was legitimate to invade Ukraine, underlines the specialist. “Volodymyr Zelensky will have the opportunity to describe the nature of the atrocities and crimes that Russia has inflicted on his country. He can also recall (…) that his country is the one which suffers the most, today, from the violation of founding principles of the United Nations.”
“It’s a great move on paper, but certainly illusory”, comments Ulrich Bounat. The UN Security Council, which is responsible in particular for preventing a worsening of a conflict and maintaining peace, is “constantly blocked by the Russians and the Chinese, who have a right of veto”recalls the researcher.