UNGA: Biden Rallies World Leaders’ Support For Ukraine

United States president, Joe Biden has appealed to world leaders to stand with Ukraine which is against invasion by Russia.

Biden made the appeal in his address at the ongoing 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, US.

He said, “Russia believes that the world will grow weary and allow it to brutalize Ukraine without consequence. If we allow Ukraine to be carved up, is the independence of any nation secure?”

While insisting that the US and its allies would stand with Ukraine’s fight for freedom, Biden said: “Russia alone bears responsibility for this war,” the president said. “Russia alone has the power to end this war immediately.”

He argued that the world must send a clear signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he will not be able to outlast the West.

Biden said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February last year, and occupation of its territory violated the founding United Nations (UN) Charter, a main principle of which is respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In his remarks, UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, also said  Russia’s invasion “has unleashed a nexus of horror.”

Report says, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who applauded Biden’s remarks ahead of his own speech at UNGA, was expected to visit Biden at the White House on Thursday and to meet some congressional leaders as well.

According to the report, the United States is preparing a new military aid package for Ukraine to coincide with Zelenskiy’s visit, and Congress has been asked to approve billions of dollars more in security assistance for the rest of the year.

“We have confidence that there will be bipartisan support for this. I think President Zelenskiy does as well,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters.

In his welcome remarks, the president of the 78th Session of the General Assembly, Dennis Francis, expressed deepest condolences to the Governments and peoples of Morocco and Libya over the recent disasters.

The Assembly’s president said the twin disasters of severe earthquakes and flooding had left thousands dead and untold more suffering.

“It is my sincere hope that resources and relief can be expedited to support all those who now find themselves in desperate need.

“As a citizen of a climate-vulnerable region, I urge Member States to recognise the continued and escalating impacts of climate change – and to deliver real, transformative results.

“Let us work together to unlock the finances and resources required to support those most vulnerable in mitigation, adaptation, and resilience-building,” he said.

Francis also called on member states to continue to work on the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index with the aim of moving beyond GDP to a measure of economic development that effectively captures a country’s true vulnerability to external shocks.

“Let us work together to unlock the finances and resources required to support those most vulnerable in mitigation, adaptation, and resilience-building,’’ he said.