President Trump to address UN General Assembly amid trade tensions — Global News Canada
US President Donald Trump is set to address the 81st session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. His speech will take place amid trade tensions and tariff threats against Washington's allies, Global News Canada reports.
The theme of the current session has been defined as restoring trust, managing transformations and ensuring the UN delivers results for everyone. The Trump administration has demanded sweeping reforms of the United Nations, withheld part of the institution's funding and withdrawn from several UN bodies, including the World Health Organization and UNESCO.
Canada and trade relations
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is also expected at the opening of the General Assembly. He advocates international cooperation to respond to climate change, financial instability and wars. For nearly a year, Carney has been calling on middle powers to unite to protect common interests and, in some cases, shared values.
The Canadian prime minister seeks to establish a connection between the European Union and the CPTPP Trans-Pacific Partnership so that these countries can counter economic pressure from the United States and China. Trade talks between Ottawa and Washington ended in conflict last month, while bilateral relations, according to the publication, continued to deteriorate amid the intensifying trade war.
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After European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggested that Canada could become the EU's first associate member, Trump called this a potentially hostile move.
The Palestinian issue
On Tuesday, Carney will co-chair an event on a two-state settlement together with France and the United Kingdom. A year earlier, the three countries recognized an independent Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly, and more than 150 countries subsequently supported the move.
During last year's address to the General Assembly, Trump said that recognizing a Palestinian state would amount to rewarding Hamas for its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. He also claimed that this could complicate the conclusion of a trade agreement between Canada and the United States. Trump is expected to criticize the UN again in his current speech.
