US President Donald Trump delivered a charged speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday. In a pointed statement, Trump criticized India and China, labeling them as “primary funders” of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. He also revived his earlier claim of having brokered a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan.
India-China’s Russian Oil Trade
While addressing the UNGA session, President Trump referred to India and China as the “primary funders” of the Russia war, citing their continued purchase of Russian oil as a key contributing factor.
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The US President, warning of sanctions on Russia, said, “…China and India are the primary funders of the ongoing war by continuing to purchase Russian oil. But inexcusably, even NATO countries have not cut off much Russian energy and Russian energy products, which, as you know, I found out about two weeks ago, and I wasn’t happy. They’re funding the war against themselves. Who the hell ever heard of that one? In the event that Russia is not ready to make a deal to end the war, then the United States is fully prepared to impose a very strong round of powerful tariffs, which would stop the bloodshed, I believe, very quickly.”
India-Pakistan Mediation Claim
During his address at the UNGA, US President Trump reiterated his claim of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during May when the tensions between the two nations were skyrocketing.
“In a period of just seven months, I have ended seven unendable wars. This includes Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, Congo and Rwanda, Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Armenia and Azerbaijan,” he said.
After the barbaric Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, when 26 individuals were killed, the Indian Armed Forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). After four days of heightened military action, which saw India dismantle 11 Pakistani airbases, Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) requested his Indian counterpart for cessation of military activities on May 10.
While Trump has time and again claimed to have negotiated the ceasefire, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has denied the claim.
Trump’s ‘Bad Escalator, Bad Teleprompter’ Joke
During his address at the UNGA session, President Trump joked about receiving an escalator and a teleprompter from the United Nations—neither of which worked properly, he said.
US President Donald Trump says, “I ended seven wars, dealt with the leaders of each and every one of these countries, and never even received a phone call from the United Nations offering to help in finalising the deal. All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that, on the way up, stopped right in the middle,” he said.
“And then a teleprompter that didn’t work. These are the 2 things I got from the United Nations,” Trump added.
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Trump’s Stance On UN
According to ANI, US President Trump has long been a skeptic of the United Nations (UN), even before entering politics. He once derided the General Assembly dais for its “cheap” marble and took offence when his proposals to renovate UN headquarters were rejected.
Back in the office, Trump has reduced US contributions to the institution, cutting funding for humanitarian aid and peacekeeping missions. His administration has also reportedly pulled the US from UNESCO and the World Health Organisation, citing ideological disagreements and mismanagement.
On the UN Security Council, Trump’s approach has occasionally aligned Washington with rivals Russia and China. In February, the US joined both countries in supporting a Ukraine resolution that did not hold Moscow responsible for the war, while several European allies abstained. At the same time, Trump has diverged sharply from many member states over Gaza and the question of Palestinian statehood.
UNGA 80th Session
The high-level debate of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) commenced on Tuesday in New York, with global leaders convening to address pressing challenges. Discussions are expected to be dominated by the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, along with the growing Western recognition of Palestinian statehood.
(with ANI inputs)
