NEW YORK — The annual U.N. General Assembly in New York opened Tuesday amid multiple conflicts, climate change-related disasters and rising concerns about artificial intelligence. António Guterres, delivering his final address to the assembled leaders as U.N. secretary-general, warned that “the fault lines in our world are widening.”

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil will be the first world leader to address the gathering according to tradition, followed by President Donald Trump. He is expected to defend the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran as allies contend with the conflict’s effects on energy prices and global supply chains.

Guterres focused in his remarks on the theme of power, and reminded world leaders they must step up and collaborate to confront the many crises the world is facing. He called for an end to fighting in the Middle East, saying that ceasefires have amounted to little more than “lesser fires,” with civilians paying the price.

The U.N. expects 71 heads of states, 45 heads of government, 50 ministers, 11 vice presidents and one crown prince at the Assembly, according to Stéphane Dujarric, the U.N. spokesperson. In addition to the U.N. sessions, representatives of the 193 nations that make up the Assembly have scheduled 166 events on the sidelines of the main event, which officially runs through Monday. And member states have submitted 1,553 requests for use of the U.N.’s rooms for bilateral meetings.

The multiday General Assembly will tackle a wide range of topics, including climate change, threats posed by AI, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and a possible two-state solution for Israel and Palestinians.

Much of midtown Manhattan, home to the U.N. headquarters, is expected to be gridlocked all week. Police and security presence will be enhanced as hundreds of motorcades carrying heads of state and high-ranking officials move between hotels, U.N. buildings and meetings. The authorities plan to close some streets, and there will be rolling restrictions to accommodate the delegations traveling across the city.

Here’s What Else to Expect:

— Notable speeches: Among the most closely watched addresses will be that of Emmanuel Macron of France, who is in the final year of his presidency. King Abdullah II of Jordan, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, are also expected to speak amid the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East.

— Trump meetings: The president will meet a string of global leaders Tuesday, among them Prime Minister Andy Burnham of Britain, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of Japan and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. According to the White House, Trump will also sign a security agreement on Greenland’s future and attend a multilateral session with Persian Gulf leaders.

— Ukraine: European foreign ministers will also meet to discuss the war and food security before Zelenskyy’s speech Wednesday.

— Middle East: France, Britain and Canada will also host a meeting on a two-state solution for Israel and Palestinians, a smaller, more low-key follow-up on last year’s spotlight conference on the issue.

— U.N. leadership search: The global body is searching for its next leader, who will take the helm in January after Guterres steps down in December. Seven candidates are vying for the role, but no clear front-runner has emerged, diplomats said.

— Absent leaders: A notable number of world leaders will not attend the General Assembly. One is Xi Jinping, China’s leader, who is scheduled to travel to Washington to see Trump on Thursday, and their meeting is expected to overshadow the speeches at the Assembly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa will also not attend.

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This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By Farnaz Fassihi/Dave Sanders
c. 2026 The New York Times Company