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guide. "washington journal" continues. host: discuss the activities at the u.n. this week is matt lee. thank you for giving us your time today. guest: good morning. host: we hear about this event every year. remind our viewers what the purposes this week. guest: this is the annual event that people liken to the diplomatic super bowl of foreign policy or diplomatic speed dating where you have literally hundreds of world leaders gathering in new york all to speak at the u.n.'s premier event. it is a week that is usually taking place amidst a lot of

issues of international concern and this year is no exception. the war in ukraine is going to be dominant. certainly it will be a main focus of president biden's address later today. it has been the focus of the speakers who have already taken the podium there. i think what we can expect are what we do expect to happen every year is numerous meetings of which grand ideas and issues are discussed. answer me to try to implement a new initiative. it is often a very mixed bag of what actually gets accomplished. there is a lot of talk and a lot

of calls for immediate action and how it can't be usual business with the multiple crises the world is facing from food insecurity, climate change. it certainly serves a purpose. it often gets people, world leaders motivated to take on some of these problematic issues and to do more, to help resolve them. it is very much an open question this year. if anything is going to be resolved about ukraine and the war there particularly since president putin's announcements overnight, the new mobilization of russian troops to ukraine and the holding of the referenda in russia occupied ukraine. i think we will hear a lot of

world leaders, particularly president biden about how what putin is doing in ukraine is a violation, is an affront to the principles the united nations was founded on after world war ii. those principles for territorial integrity and sovereignty of independent countries are really under threat here, biden will say. and there are questions about how the judgment as a member of the united nations, as a member of the security council. it's going to be a very interesting day today and the rest of the week. host: if you want to call and ask questions about the u.n. meeting (202) 748-8000 from democrats, (202) 748-8001

republicans and independents (202) 748-8002. if you live outside of the united states you can call us at (202) 748-8003. mr. lee, we have often heard when it comes to nato how it has been transformed because of issues in russia and ukraine. guest: the u.n. is made up of very different nations and not all of them are allies like the countries that the members of nato are. there is a real divergence of opinion. when it comes to ukraine and russia what we have seen over the course of the last week, there is diminution of support russia is getting. non-nato countries like china and india, like south africa,

these countries, these are countries which are not condemning the rushing -- russian invasion. they have not gone as far as the west would like them to in speaking out against the war. it is clear from comments that some of their leaders have made that they are losing patients, a little bit of patients with president putin. i think in light of what he announced, mobilization of up to 300,000 russian troops going into ukraine and holding these elections which the uss will be sham referenda and what looks to be a prelude annexing more territory from ukraine. of patients seems to be wearing

thin i think it's going to be very interesting to hear what world leaders have to say about the latest developments and whether or not they are marveling to speak out about what russia is doing particularly as president biden, the british, the french, the germans and all the western leaders are making a case. now is the time to stand up for the principles the united nations was founded on. host: when it comes to president biden what are we expecting for message and tone for him to deliver today? guest: the president is very clearly going to make the case again that what russia is doing in ukraine is illegal and a violation of the u.n. charter. he is going to call on other countries to speak out against

this and especially to defend the principles on which the united nations was founded. he is going to make the case that countries should do more to combat the global food security crisis we are in right now. it has been exacerbated by the war in ukraine. he is going to call for greater action to combat climate change. you know, there is any issues that are facing the world right now. yesterday the u.n. secretary general q taras -- gave a speech about the function of the world today. we are really in dire straits, that all of humanity is really in dire straits.

appeals are countries to bear down and come together to fight these various threats. i think we will hear from biden update more of the same. now is the time to speak up, not as the time to open your wallet and support ukraine and to try to combat the food shortages that are affecting so much of the world. potentially, multiple different famines about to happen just this year. next year it might be worse especially if the four -- war continues. host: the first call comes from alexander in new york. you are on with madly. alexander you are on with our guest. caller: good morning, mr. lee.

thank you for stating agree to of what is happening today at the u.n. you touched on the dysfunctionality of the world right now. it seems to be at the point where nothing really gets done. it is a reflection of just countries around the world and racism how do you billy see, you know, something actually being done on a global level? global warming is affecting every country from jim antle -- japan, what has happened in puerto rico. the election such as happened in sweden. and to think there are so many fronts that need to be dealt with on a global level.

do you think the u.n. is really capable of handling something like this? because you have nations that have veto power over everybody >> we take you to new york for today's meeting of the united nations general assembly. live coverage here on c-span. >> mr. president, mr. secretary-general, my fellow leaders. president biden: in the last year our world has experienced great upheaval. a growing crisis and food insecurity. record heat, floods, and droughts. covid-19, inflation, and a brutal needless war. a war chosen by one man to be very blunt. let us speak plainly. a permanent member of the united nations security council invaded its neighbor. attempted to erase the sovereign state from e