EU Leaders Head to New York for UN General Assembly Session

European Union leaders Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa will lead the EU delegation to the 81st UN General Assembly in New York starting Tuesday, September 22, amid what is described as a severe crisis of the global multilateral system. The EU, holding enhanced observer status since 2011, aims to uphold international law, state sovereignty, and peaceful dispute resolution. The bloc has defined four priorities, including defending an efficient multilateral system and reforming the UN, while coordinating votes among its 27 member states. Key speakers include Ukrainian President Zelensky and Iranian President Pezeshkian on Wednesday, with Israeli PM Netanyahu and EU leaders speaking Thursday. The session will address wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, AI risks, climate change, and the upcoming UN Secretary-General succession.