Biden to Address United Nations General Assembly in Support of Ukraine’s Efforts to Repel Russian Invasion

President Joe Biden is set to address the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday morning to rally international support for Ukraine’s effort to repel Russia’s invasion. This speech is the centerpiece of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Manhattan this week, which includes a series of private meetings with world leaders and fundraising events for his 2024 re-election campaign.

In his address, Biden is expected to discuss the dangers of climate change and the importance of nations acting collectively to solve the world’s most pressing problems, an implicit rebuke of the “America First” approach taken by former President Donald Trump.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told HuffPost on Monday that Zelenskyy will meet with a select group of lawmakers and party leaders in a bipartisan setting when he visits the House side of the U.S. Capitol. McCarthy said he and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) will host the meeting.

The last time Zelenskyy visited Washington following the Russian invasion of his country, he was invited to speak to a joint meeting of Congress. This visit is expected to be much more low-key, as many Americans tire of using taxpayer money to shore up Kyiv’s defenses.

Biden’s speech to the United Nations is an important step in the international community’s effort to address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. It is also a reminder of the importance of collective action in tackling global issues, and a repudiation of the “America First” approach taken by the previous administration.