He warned that the credibility of the UN is at stake if it fails to hold Russia accountable for its invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, September 24, delivered a scathing critique of the United Nations, describing it as a powerless institution incapable of halting wars as his country continues its three-and-a-half-year battle against Russian forces.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Zelensky said the forum had been reduced to a stage for speeches rather than meaningful action.
“Nations can speak about their pain from stages like this, but even during bloodshed, there isn’t a single international institution that can truly stop it,” he said. “That’s how weak these institutions have become. And because international institutions are too weak, this madness continues… Weapons decide who survives.”
The Ukrainian leader warned that a new arms race is shaping global relations, highlighting how Russia’s veto power in the UN Security Council has repeatedly blocked binding resolutions that could sanction or restrain Moscow.
Zelensky’s appearance comes a day after he secured a political win following a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
On Tuesday, Trump posted on Truth Social that he supports Ukraine retaking all territory Russia currently occupies, a departure from his earlier position suggesting Kyiv would have to cede land for peace.
In his own address to the U.N., US President Trump raised the possibility of imposing more economic pressure on Russia but conditioned any U.S. action on Europe committing to join, a move that faces significant bureaucratic and political challenges across the continent.
