US President Joe Biden said wars eventually end thanks to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of reconciliation. Even looking at today's brutal conflicts, “things can get better. We should never forget that.”
Amid wars in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine alongside the climate crisis, the promise and risks of artificial intelligence (AI) and other pressing challenges, he said he knows there is a way forward.
“Our test is to make sure that the forces holding us together are stronger than those pulling us apart,” he said. “The choices we make today will determine our future for decades to come.”
Outlining some of those choices, he said the US would always stand by Ukraine in the face of the full-scale Russian invasion and uphold the UN Charter.
Biden repeated his calls for nations to continue supporting Ukraine in its defensive war against neighboring Russia at a speech to world leaders assembled at the United Nations General Assembly meeting.
Biden, as part of his last speech to the assembly, boldly claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has "failed" in his goal to defeat Ukraine as well as in his aims to stop NATO's enlargement.
The president reiterated that countries must choose to continue standing with Ukraine against Russia and declared that the United States will continue to do so.
Meanwhile, innocent civilians in Israel and Gaza “are going through hell” because of the war Hamas started on 7 October, killing more than 1,000 people in Israel and taking around 250 hostages, emphasising that Washington is working towards a ceasefire for the nearly year-old war in Gaza during which thousands of civilians have been killed.
“Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms and bring the hostages home, ease the suffering in Gaza and end this war,” he said, to applause.
Turning to Sudan, he said the world must speak to the military leaders to stop blocking aid and end this war now.
“People need more than the absence of war,” he said, pledging US support for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate change, including being on track to cut emissions in half by 2030.
The UN needs to adapt and bring new voices, he said, expressing support for reform, including expanding the Security Council's membership and adding that “it's time to move forward” to end wars and suffering.
"There will be no greater test of leadership than how we deal with AI," he continued.
“Benefits from AI must be harnessed and there is a need to ensure that this technology will be used to benefit all."
Recalling that he recently had stepped away from the election race after one term as president, he said "some things are more important than staying in power."
"We are here to serve the people, not the other way around," he said. "We are stronger than we think. We are stronger together than alone."
Citing South Africa's first Black president Nelson Mandela, he said nothing is impossible until it's done.
"There's nothing beyond our capacity when we work together," he said.
Source: UN website
