World leaders convene in New York as Trump faces Iran war and Greenland talks

Leaders gather for the 81st General Assembly

More than 140 heads of state and government will assemble in New York on Tuesday for the opening of the 81st UN General Assembly general debate. Scheduled speakers include US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will not attend, remaining in Berlin to address domestic pushback within the CDU/CSU parliamentary group following the recent political removal of Jens Spahn. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul will lead the German delegation in his place, though Wadephul is scheduled to address the hall late in the assembly schedule. The assembly convenes as discussions begin over the eventual successor to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, with Rebeca Grynspan cited as a potential first female candidate for the post.

Iran conflict dominates Trump's opening agenda

Donald Trump addresses the assembly while managing an active conflict in Iran that began almost seven months ago in late February 2026. The US administration originally sought to limit the military campaign, conducted jointly with Israel, to a span of a few weeks. Maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz remains the central dispute between Washington and Tehran after Iranian threats and strikes halted commercial shipping, driving up global fuel prices. Iranian forces have also launched reciprocal attacks throughout the Middle East over the course of the fighting. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will travel to New York during the UN week, though officials have confirmed no direct bilateral meeting with the American president.

Gulf diplomacy and Ukraine war meetings

On the sidelines of Tuesday's debate, Trump will hold consultations with representatives from Gulf states affected by regional instability. A similar meeting during the UN General Assembly in 2025 served as the initial framework for Trump's subsequent Gaza peace plan presented several days later. In addition to Middle Eastern security, the general debate will focus on Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine. Trump has scheduled a bilateral meeting on Tuesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss support and wartime strategy. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also scheduled to attend diplomatic sessions during the ministerial week in New York.

Greenland pact signing and transatlantic relations

Beyond the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine, Trump plans to finalize an agreement on Tuesday concerning Greenland alongside Denmark and Greenlandic authorities. The pact follows earlier friction caused by Trump's repeated threats to annex the Arctic island, which he justified by claiming the territory faced security threats from Russia and China. The diplomatic dispute had raised concerns over cohesion within the NATO alliance before the three parties announced a negotiated breakthrough. Trump has stated that the accord grants the United States extensive control and operating authority across the island. Danish and Greenlandic officials have avoided confirming Trump's characterization of unilateral American advantages, emphasizing that the final terms serve European and NATO interests.