Biden gives final UN speech, vows 'things can get better'

What happened

President Joe Biden gave a sort of valedictory address at United Nations General Assembly Tuesday, using his final speech before the international body to sift through his four years in the Oval Office and 50 years in global politics for lessons on moving toward a better future.

Who said what

Biden tried to bring a "message of hope for the future" to a General Assembly where "the vibe was pretty grim" amid climate change, poverty and wars in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan, The Associated Press said. "Even in the horrors of war, there's a way forward," Biden told the assembled diplomats and world leaders. "Things can get better." His speech "encompassed many of his foreign policy themes throughout his administration," CBS News said, including "rallying the world around Ukraine," managing competition with China and promoting democracy.

Biden urged Israel and Hamas to finally agree to an elusive cease-fire and said a "full-scale war" in Lebanon "is not in anyone's interest." Those seeking "short-term solutions" in the Middle East "were left wanting," CNN said. But Biden earned applause after he pushed an end to the Gaza war and when he used his decision not to seek re-election to encourage a turn from autocracy. "My fellow leaders, let us never forget some things are more important than staying in power," he said. "It's your people that matter the most," and "we are here to serve the people, not the other way around."

What next?

Biden's U.N. speech was the "centerpiece event of a two-day visit to New York" that also includes several one-on-one meetings with other world leaders, Reuters said. The Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting today to discuss the conflict in Lebanon.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up