UN votes to allow Ukraine’s Zelenskyy to give virtual speech

UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly voted Friday to allow Ukraine’s president to deliver a pre-recorded address to next week’s gathering of world leaders because of his need to deal with Russia’s invasion, making an exception to its requirement that all leaders speak in person. The document that was approved expresses concern that leaders of “peace-loving“ U.N. sovereign nations can’t participate in person “for reasons beyond their control owing to ongoing foreign invasion, aggression, military hostilities that do not allow safe departure from and return to their countries, or the need to discharge their national defense and security duties and functions.” The document, which was proposed by Ukraine and had more than 50 co-sponsors, permits Zelenskyy to submit a pre-recorded statement to be played in the General Assembly hall. Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya expressed satisfaction that the assembly will have a chance to hear directly from Zelenskyy “about how he sees the end of this war and how he evaluates the impact of this war on global affairs and on the United Nations in particular.” He expressed gratitude in an interview with The Associated Press that 101 U.N. member nations gave such strong support to hearing from Zelenskyy, saying it was “pathetic” that Russia mustered only six other countries to oppose his speech. Nicaragua’s representative, whom its mission refused to identify, said the proposed decision “reflects a clear trend towards exceptionalisms” and violates the U.N. Charter’s principle “of sovereign equality of all members.” He urged members to oppose the proposal and avoid “double standards” and “selfish interests.” As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual meeting of world leaders at the General Assembly was all virtual in 2020 and hybrid in 2021.