President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will meet at the White House Thursday during the UN General Assembly for a second meeting this year, discussing AI, trade and defense as they seek to keep ties steady amid questions about the UN's finances and influence.
The UN's persistent budget shortfall forced a 9.2% cut to its Secretariat budget for 2026, with thousands of staff laid off, peacekeepers sent home and humanitarian and human-rights work reduced. The U.S. has long withheld much of its dues, and the Trump administration has withdrawn from dozens of UN agencies and cut contributions. The UN said Washington paid $725 million toward the regular budget last week, preserving its General Assembly vote, but still owes $1.3 billion for the regular budget and $2.9 billion for peacekeeping.
Security Council deadlock and disagreements among member states over the UN's purpose also constrain its influence. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the body remained relevant but criticized it as paralyzed in efforts to prevent or end conflicts. UN data showed more than 1,000 bilateral meetings planned during assembly week: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met Trump about ending Russia's war, including a potential ceasefire on energy-related targets; meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner communicated through mediators—their first such contacts since an interim ceasefire agreement collapsed in July.
