Ukrainian President Zelensky To Address UN On Friday

193-member UN General Assembly accepts Zelensky's proposal

United Nations: Ahead of the urge of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to address the annual gathering of world leaders next week with a pre-recorded video, the 193-member United Nations General Assembly is on Friday due to consider a proposal.

As per the Diplomats, they expect Russia to call a vote on the proposed decision, which has been drafted by Ukraine. Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said on Wednesday that Russia opposed allowing Zelenskiy to speak via video.

While speaking to the media, Nebenzia told reporters, "Zelenskiy travels perfectly well around the country ... but he can't come here. And if you can't come, that means you send your representative to speak at the General Assembly."

In an official note to the General Assembly members, seen by Reuters, Ukraine's U.N. mission said Zelenskiy "cannot participate in-person at the meetings of the General Assembly due to ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine."

He is scheduled to address the high-level U.N. gathering on Wednesday, Sept. 21.

The draft decision to be considered on Friday states that it would not set "a precedent for future general debates and mandated high-level meetings planned for future high-level weeks."

For the past two years, world leaders have been allowed to submit video statements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year they are expected to travel to New York to speak in the U.N. General Assembly chamber.

Within a week of Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, nearly three-quarters of the General Assembly voted to reprimand Moscow and demand it withdraw its troops. Three weeks it again overwhelmingly denounced Russia for creating a "dire" humanitarian situation.