Brazil tells UN: Diplomacy is key to solving global crises

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that the organization must become a "temple of peace" again, urging more effective diplomacy to address global challenges during a critical period in its 80-year history. Lula criticized attacks on multilateralism, citing Security Council paralysis, veto power use, and geopolitical tensions as factors weakening the UN's credibility. He noted last year saw the highest number of armed conflicts since World War II, calling for regional conflicts to be contained before escalating. Addressing specific wars, Lula condemned Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the "genocide of women and children" in the Middle East, while saying there would be "no winners on the battlefield" in the Russia-Ukraine war. He also highlighted Brazil's anti-corruption efforts, climate action, and called for regulating large tech companies and AI.