Biden to give final UN address with focus on conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine

Transcript

00:00It will be forceful yet eloquent, POTUS Joe Biden will unpack all his thoughts on the

00:05current world order and his foreign policy that will zero in on the raging wars in Ukraine

00:11and the nearly year-long conflict in Gaza that has begun to spread in the region.

00:16VOA's White House correspondent Anita Powell is in New York City and the UN headquarters

00:23and she filed this report.

00:27This is the last time President Joe Biden will address a major international forum,

00:31the hundreds of leaders who gather each year for the United Nations General Assembly.

00:36It comes at a clutch moment, says the U.S. ambassador to the global body.

00:40We say this every year, but this UNGA could not come at a more critical and more challenging

00:47moment.

00:48The list of crises and conflicts that demand attention and action only seem to grow and

00:55grow.

00:56Atop that list, Gaza.

00:58Here the U.S. position is not in line with the rest of the assembly, which last week

01:02overwhelmingly passed a resolution demanding that Israel end its occupation of Palestinian

01:06territory within the next 12 months.

01:10The United States was among the 14 no votes, which Thomas Greenfield said was in line with

01:14Washington's opposition to unilateral measures that undermine the prospect of a two-state

01:19solution.

01:21Analysts expect Biden to discuss his support of Israel and his support of Ukraine in this

01:25year's address.

01:26They spotlight those two conflicts as major challenges as he ends his presidency.

01:32With the Middle East, this looks like, you know, how do you keep the lid on this and

01:38see hope the conflict doesn't spiral out of control into a regional war?

01:43And you know, I think there's anybody's best guess about what's going to happen.

01:48One thing is painfully clear.

01:50As the conflict nears the one year mark, nearly 100 hostages are thought to remain in Hamas

01:54custody.

01:56The White House says bringing them home is their top priority and the key pillar of a

01:59deal to halt the fighting between Israel and the militant group.

02:03Kessler said many leaders will give Biden a warm welcome during his valedictory speech

02:08as he has used his term to rebuild alliances and reestablish global norms.

02:13There is a lot of affection for him out there in most nations.

02:16Of course, there's a few where there is not.

02:19Biden speaks in New York Tuesday.

02:22Anita Powell, Viewing News, New York.