Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to deliver dramatic U.N. speech after Putin moves to mobilize troops

UNITED NATIONS — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy volition present melodramatic remarks to satellite leaders Wednesday, hours aft Russia moved to mobilize hundreds of thousands of troops for its months agelong battle connected Ukraine.

Zelenskyy, who has not near his war-weary federation since Russia invaded successful February, volition talk aft a Ukrainian counteroffensive reclaimed immense swaths of onshore mislaid aboriginal successful the war. But connected the 2nd time of diplomatic choreography successful the iconic green-and-gold draped United Nations General Assembly hall, Zelenskyy volition beryllium the lone president to code satellite leaders from screens hanging supra the immense room.

The planetary forum voted past week to let Zelenskyy to connection pre-taped remarks to the yearly gathering of satellite leaders, making an objection to its request that each leaders talk successful person. The 193-member satellite assemblage approved Zelenskky's virtual remarks by a 101-7 vote, with 19 abstentions including China. Belarus, Cuba, Eritrea, Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia and Syria were the 7 countries that voted against Zelenskyy's request.

Zelenskyy volition beryllium the sole person to code the 77th U.N. General Assembly virtually, successful the archetypal twelvemonth the yearly high-level gathering successful New York City is backmost successful idiosyncratic since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Zelenskyy's pre-recorded remarks travel arsenic Russia's warfare enters its eighth month, and the Kremlin shows nary signs of relinquishing ambitions to erase Ukrainian sovereignty successful bid to reconstruct the Soviet empire.

Read more: ‘Our satellite is successful peril,’ UN main says successful opening General Assembly address

The struggle escalated earlier Wednesday arsenic Russian President Vladimir Putin announced referenda connected whether to articulation Russia successful 4 occupied regions of Ukraine. The determination is believed to beryllium a Kremlin effort to annex further swaths of its ex-Soviet neighbor. The votes could hap arsenic soon arsenic this weekend.

Putin besides ordered astir 300,000 Russian subject reservists to articulation the combat successful Ukraine. The partial mobilization, Russia's archetypal since World War II, follows a bid of stunning Ukrainian advances successful caller days.

Ukrainian forces, equipped with a plethora of Western weapons, person made important gains against the Kremlin's mighty warfare machine.

The United States has truthful acold provided a warfare thorax worthy much than $15 cardinal to Kyiv. Meanwhile, NATO allies person bolstered information passim the region, taken successful refugees and trained Ukrainian forces.

Read more: Biden to impulse allied nations for much Ukraine enactment astatine UN General Assembly

Even so, Zelenskyy is expected to telephone for much arms arsenic his federation carries retired an era-defining combat for antiauthoritarian principles and planetary order.

While astir each person who has stepped down the famed speaker's rostrum to code the planetary forum has condemned Russia for its ongoing assault, Zelenskyy is expected to impulse leaders to publically found wherever they basal connected the war.

He volition telephone connected countries specified arsenic China, the world's 2nd largest economy, to wantonness its neutrality.

The U.N. estimates Russia's warfare has truthful acold claimed astir 6,000 civilian lives and led to much than 8,600 injuries. The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights adds that the decease toll successful Ukraine is apt higher.

Meanwhile, the European Commission and World Bank estimate that it volition outgo astatine slightest $349 billion to reconstruct Ukraine aft the war.