Speaking to journalists in New York, the UN chief highlighted the worsening climate emergency, escalating conflicts, the global cost-of-living crisis, soaring inequalities, and dramatic technological disruptions and said that “action is what the world needs now.” Guterres added, “Today’s multilateral institutions that were created after the Second World War reflect the power and economic dynamics of that time. They need reform. I know reform is fundamentally about power – and there are many competing interests and agendas in our increasingly multipolar world. But at a time when our challenges are more connected than ever, the outcome of a zero-sum game is that everyone gets zero.” The Secretary-General said that his “appeal to world leaders will be clear” and that “this is not a time for posturing or positioning.” “This is not a time for indifference or indecision. This is a time to come together for real, practical solutions. It is time for compromise for a better tomorrow. Politics is compromised. Diplomacy is compromised. Effective leadership is compromised,” Guterres said. According to him, “If we want a future of peace and prosperity based on equity and solidarity, leaders have a special responsibility to achieve compromise in designing our common future for our common good” and “next week in New York is the place to start.” Asked about the conflict in Ukraine and the Black Sea Initiative, Guterres said, “Next week, I will be receiving President Zelenskyy, I will be receiving President Erdogan, I will be receiving Minister Lavrov, and obviously, this question will be on the table of our discussions. So, I'm not going to say whether I am optimistic or pessimistic. The only thing you can be sure of is that I remain determined.” Answering a question about the emergence of a multipolar world and the risk of a great fracture in the global system, the UN chief said, “We have some symptoms, but we are not yet in an irreversible situation. So we are clearly on time to avoid it. But we are seeing some aspects in which we see the risk of division piling up.” Guterres was also asked about the situation in the Middle East and the right of Palestinians to defend themselves from aggression. “I think it's important to recognize, to fully recognize, the rights of the Palestinian people. I think it's important to condemn any attempt to undermine the two-state solution, construction of settlements, eviction of Palestinian families, and many other aspects. But I do not think that it is with violence that the Palestinians will be able to better defend their interests. That is my humble opinion,” said Guterres. The UN chief said he had two messages about a meeting between the supreme leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, and the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, at Russia’s spaceport in the Far East. Guterres detailed, “First message, it is absolutely essential to abide by Security Council resolutions. North Korea has been violating those Security Council resolutions and recently, I believe yesterday, we have two new missiles. And second, any form of cooperation of any country with North Korea must respect the sanctions regime that was imposed by the Security Council. And that obviously, is extremely relevant in the case that you have mentioned.” On the topic of climate change, the Secretary-General said he would “of course, be very happy if several of the G20 countries will be able to come to the Summit and announce a quantum leap in their efforts to reduce emissions and at the same time, to better support financially the developing countries that are facing enormous difficulties in order to develop their own programs of mitigation and adaptation.”

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