Zelenskyy to deliver online speech at UN General Assembly session

UN member states voted to make an exception to allow Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address next week’s General Assembly by video, despite Russian opposition, Report informs referring to AFP.

Of the 193 member states, 101 voted in favor of allowing Zelenskyy to "present a pre-recorded statement" instead of in-person as usually required.

Seven members voted against the proposal, including Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February. Nineteen states abstained.

More than 50 states, including the United States, France, South Korea and Turkiye, submitted a proposal to make an exception for Zelenskyy.

The text highlighted situations in which leaders "cannot participate in person in the meetings of the General Assembly for reasons beyond their control owing to ongoing foreign invasion, aggression, military hostilities."

Those in favor decided that Ukraine can "submit a pre-recorded statement of its Head of State" that will be played during the general debate.

The decision noted, however, that the exception was not setting a precedent for future debates.

Russia rejected the argument, with deputy ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy denouncing the "politicization of a procedural decision."

Ukraine’s address is slated for the afternoon of September 21, but changes are likely due to many leaders heading to London for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19.