Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russia of “weaponizing” everything from food and energy to abducted children in its war against Ukraine in an address to world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 19.
Zelenskiy said while there are various agreements that restrict arms themselves, “There are no real restrictions on weaponization.”
"It's clear: Russia's attempt to weaponize the food shortage on the global market in exchange for recognition for some, if not all, of the captured territories," Zelenskiy said. "Russia is launching the food prices as weapons. Their impact spans from the Atlantic coast of Africa to the southeast Asia. And this is a threat scale."
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Zelenskiy was making his first in-person appearance at the annual UNGA since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. His trip to UN headquarters in New York comes three months into Ukrainian counteroffensive that has not advanced as fast or as well as hoped for at first.
In his speech, Zelenskiy also accused Russia of exploiting European countries that were dependent on its oil and gas.
The "Kremlin weaponized oil and gas to weaken the leaders of other countries," he said, adding that "now, this threat is even greater."
"It is also turning other country's power plants into real dirty bombs. Look, please, what Russia did to our Zaporizhzhya [nuclear] power plant -- shelled it, occupied it and then blackmails others with radiation leaks," Zelenskiy added, referring to the Ukrainian power station that Russian invading forces took control of in March 2022.
Zelenskiy also noted that Ukraine was not the only victim of Russian aggression.
When hatred is weaponized against one nation, it never stops there. Each decade Russia starts a new war. Parts of Moldova and Georgia remain occupied. Russia turned Syria into ruins," he said. "Russia has almost swallowed Belarus. It's obviously threatening Kazakhstan and Baltic states."
Zelenskiy condemned Russia's wartime practice of forcibly taking Ukrainian children to Russia, calling it "genocide."
"We know the names of tens of thousands of children, and have evidence on hundreds of thousands of others kidnapped by Russia in the occupied territories of Ukraine and later deported," the Ukrainian president said.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in March for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian official Maria Lvova-Belova, accusing them of being responsible for the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine, which constitutes a war crime.
In his address, Zelenskiy also said Kyiv was working on preparing a global peace summit.
"Ukraine is doing everything to ensure that after the Russian aggression, no one in the world would dare to attack any nation," Zelenskiy said. "The occupier must return to his own land."
Zelenskiy spoke hours after U.S. President Joe Biden urged the leaders gathered at the UNGA to stand by Ukraine against invading Russia.
"Russia alone bears responsibility for this war," Biden said. "Russia alone has the power to end this war immediately."
Biden’s address comes as Congress is increasingly divided over providing additional funding to Ukraine.
SEE ALSO: 'The Wiliest Is The Winner': Ukrainian Marine Infantry Gradually Breaks Through Russian DefensesBiden has sought a package of $13.1 billion in additional military aid for Ukraine and $8.5 billion for humanitarian support. But conservative Republican lawmakers have been pushing for broad federal spending cuts and some of those allied with Trump are specifically looking to stop money to Ukraine.
Russia gets its chance to address the UNGA on September 23 when Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is expected on the rostrum.
Hours before Zelenskiy spoke at the UN, allied defense leaders convened at a U.S. military base in Germany to discuss next steps.
Some nations pledged further money and weapons. But a key sticking point is whether to supply longer-range missiles that Kyiv insists it needs in order to hit Russian troops and facilities from a safe distance -- as far as about 300 kilometers away. Washington is wary of the request, worried that Ukraine could use such weapons to strike deep into Russian territory and provoke Moscow.
Zelenskiy also is due to speak on September 20 at a UN Security Council meeting about Ukraine. Russia is a permanent, veto-wielding member of the council, and Lavrov is expected to make remarks.
Asked whether he would stay in the room to listen, Zelenskiy was quoted by AP as saying, “I don't know how it will be, really.”