Ukrainian president expected to show up at UN in September: Security Council president

Ferit Hoxha, Albania's UN ambassador, whose country holds the Security Council presidency for the month, briefs reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 1, 2023. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to come to the United Nations headquarters in September, said Ferit Hoxha. (Manuel Elas/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to come to the United Nations headquarters in September, said Ferit Hoxha, Albania's UN ambassador, whose country holds the Security Council presidency for the month.

At a press briefing on Friday, Hoxha said he thinks Zelensky will attend in person a Security Council meeting on Ukraine scheduled on Sept. 20, during the annual high-level week of the UN General Assembly.

"I can almost confirm, but of course it doesn't depend on me, that President Zelensky will be in New York," he told reporters.

"It will be the first time that he comes to New York. It will be the first time that he comes to the UN and it will be the first time that he comes to the Security Council," added the ambassador.

The meeting on Ukraine is one of the two signature events that Albania plans to organize during its presidency. Another one is an open debate on the private-public partnership on humanitarian aid, to be held on Sept. 14.

Highlighting the council's September work program, Hoxha said other meetings throughout the month include an informal, interactive dialogue with the League of Arab States, and briefings and consultations on the Middle East issue as well as situations in Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and South Sudan.

The Security Council has 15 members and its primary responsibility is the maintenance of international peace and security. The presidency of the council is held by each member state for one month. 

Ferit Hoxha (L), Albania's UN ambassador, whose country holds the Security Council presidency for the month, briefs reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 1, 2023. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to come to the United Nations headquarters in September, said Ferit Hoxha. (Manuel Elas/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)