Suriname President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Lithuania President Gitanas Nauseda addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
South Korea President Lee Jae Myung addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
They said it: Leaders at the UN, in their own words
UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥 Many leaders saying many things about many topics that matter to them, to their regions, to the world: That鈥檚 what the U.N. General Assembly invariably produces each year.
Suriname President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥 Many leaders saying many things about many topics that matter to them, to their regions, to the world: That鈥檚 what the U.N. General Assembly invariably produces each year.
And each year, certain voices dominate. Here, The Associated Press takes the opposite approach and spotlights some thoughts from leaders who might have not captured the headlines and airtime on Tuesday, the first day of the 2025 General Debate.
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鈥淭he United Nations must be a genuine unity of nations鈥. We are all really better together.鈥
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
鈥 Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, president of Suriname
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鈥淥ur international order is being slowly eroded by the irresponsible actions of those who should know better. The world is turning into a much more dangerous place. We have seen this before.鈥
鈥 Gitanas Naus臈da, president of Lithuania
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鈥淣ot for the first time, developments on the ground have made me question the worth and utility of words in capturing the magnitude of the crisis. Yet, not speaking about it would signal acceptance of the situation and abandonment of our humanity 鈥 and that, I will not do.鈥
鈥 Abdullah II, king of Jordan, on the Mideast situation
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鈥淜 culture is connecting people all over the world 鈥 the success and spread of K culture prove that universal empathy is possible.鈥
鈥 Lee Jae Myung, president of South Korea
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鈥淲e are fighting wars that cause death and destruction when we should be fighting poverty.鈥
