UN Meloni in New York: Middle East, Ukraine and reform of the Organisation

At the General Assembly for the 80th anniversary of the UN Meloni focuses on prudence, humanitarian aid and reform of the Security Council

The UN General Assembly opens today in New York in a tense geopolitical context. The 2025 edition coincides with the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, founded in San Francisco in 1945, and is entitled “Better Together: 80 Years and Beyond for Peace, Development and Human Rights”. The debate, which will feature speeches by world leaders, will focus on two main issues: the conflict in the Middle East, reignited by the new Israeli offensive in Gaza, and the war in Ukraine, with its global repercussions.

UN Meloni: Italy between caution and humanitarian commitment

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, expected in the Big Apple this evening, arrives in New York in a particular climate: in Italy, the USB has called a general strike “in support of the people of Gaza”. However, Rome remains extremely cautious about recognising the Palestinian state, despite the growing number of countries that have officially declared their support – including France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Portugal – provoking protests from the Israeli government.

Meloni will speak at the UN on 24 September at 8 p.m., reiterating her condemnation of Israel’s ground offensive on Gaza City, which she described as “disproportionate”, but confirming that Italy considers formal recognition premature. Rome and Berlin remain firm on the principle of the Two-State Solution, which provides for the peaceful coexistence of Israel and Palestine, but only when “real conditions for a functioning and secure Palestinian state” exist.

Tajani: “A Palestinian state free from Hamas”

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, already in New York, will today attend the High-Level Conference on the Two-State Solution, organised by France and Saudi Arabia, and the informal G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting under the Canadian presidency. ‘I will reiterate Italy’s support for the process of recognising the future Palestinian state, once it has been established, with the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank and free from Hamas, as established by the UN resolution co-sponsored by Italy on 12 September,’ Tajani said.

The head of the Farnesina will also recall Rome’s commitment to the Food For Gaza programme, which provides for new medical evacuations in the coming weeks, and will reaffirm its opposition to the occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, which it considers an obstacle to the creation of two states.

Pressure on Moscow and European security

Alongside the Middle East, Italy’s agenda looks to the east. Tajani has announced that discussions will be held with European and transatlantic partners on putting new pressure on Moscow to bring Russia back to the negotiating table, supporting ‘a just and lasting peace, with security guarantees for Kiev and Europe based on the model of NATO’s Article 5’. The aim is to strengthen a united front capable of offering Ukraine guarantees similar to those of the Atlantic alliance, while remaining within the UN framework.

The Mission to the UN Meloni

On 23 September, the Prime Minister will attend the official opening of the debate, which will feature speeches by Secretary-General António Guterres, Assembly President Annalena Baerbock, Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and US President Donald Trump. On the sidelines, bilateral talks are planned with various heads of state and government, which will serve to strengthen Italy’s network of diplomatic and commercial relations, also in view of the 2026 G7 summit, which Italy will chair.

Push for UN reform

Another strategic issue is the reform of the United Nations. Rome supports the “Uniting for Consensus” platform, which calls for a more democratic, inclusive and representative Security Council, particularly for countries in Africa and the global South, opposing the introduction of new permanent seats. For Italy, the seventh largest contributor to the UN’s regular budget and peacekeeping missions, the goal is to “make institutions less bureaucratic, more streamlined and capable of responding to global challenges”, according to diplomatic sources.

This year, which marks 70 years of Italy’s membership of the UN, the General Assembly therefore represents an opportunity for the Meloni government to reaffirm its commitment to the principles of the UN Charter, strengthen its support for the Two-State Solution, consolidate its humanitarian commitment to the people of Gaza and define a common strategy with its allies to stop the war in Ukraine.

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