World leaders are gathering in New York for the annual high-level session of the United Nations General Assembly, with wars, artificial intelligence, climate change, economic pressures and the future of the U.N. among the issues on the agenda.

Axar.az reports, citing The Assosciated Press, the conflicts in Iran, Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Congo and Myanmar are expected to feature prominently during the week-long gathering, alongside discussions on whether diplomatic efforts can help resolve the ongoing wars.

Leaders are also expected to discuss the effects of climate change, rising costs, disrupted shipping routes and supply chains, and growing economic inequalities. Artificial intelligence has emerged as another major issue, with concerns over the potential impact of uncontrolled AI development.

Reform of the United Nations is also expected to be discussed. The organization has 193 member states, while its Security Council continues to be dominated by its five permanent members — the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France — which hold veto power. A broader reform package has been agreed upon, although its implementation remains a challenge.

The future leadership of the United Nations is another issue surrounding the gathering. Secretary-General António Guterres’ second five-year term is due to end on December 31, with no clear successor having emerged so far.

More than 130 heads of state and government are expected to address the General Assembly, along with dozens of ministers. U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron are scheduled to speak on Tuesday, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are due to address the assembly on Wednesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to speak on Thursday.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is not expected to attend in person after the United States denied visas to senior Palestinian officials for the second consecutive year. He is expected to address the assembly by video.

Several other major leaders will also be absent. Chinese President Xi Jinping is skipping the gathering and will send a vice president instead. Russian President Vladimir Putin is also not attending, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has withdrawn from the meeting.

Despite the absences and ongoing divisions among member states, the U.N. General Assembly remains the main annual gathering of the organization’s 193 members and provides a forum for leaders to address global issues and hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines.