Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Xavier Bettel, painted a sombre picture of this year's United Nations General Assembly week in New York, telling journalists at a virtual press conference on Friday: "I have to disappoint you, we have not found any solutions."
Bettel underlined that unpredictability remains the prevailing theme on the world stage, with no simple answers to the conflicts and tensions dominating international affairs.
He stressed the critical importance of Grand Duke Guillaume’s address to the UN, particularly at a time when the principles of multilateralism are increasingly being called into question.
He also noted that earlier in the week he had met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who offered rare praise for Luxembourg’s approach.
According to Bettel, Guterres remarked that if every country were like Luxembourg, "the world would be in a much better state", highlighting Luxembourg’s commitment not just as a 'model student' but as a genuine believer in multilateral cooperation.
Bettel acknowledged that such recognition from the United Nations is both encouraging and a testament to Luxembourg’s international standing.
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Assembly, Bettel held talks with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Bettel described Netanyahu’s speech as containing "several provocations" and expressed regret that the UN stage is increasingly used by world leaders as a platform to address their domestic audiences, rather than engage meaningfully with the international community.
Instead of addressing the world, many leaders are effectively "campaigning for their own political base, and that is a shame", he commented.
During his visit to New York, Bettel also met with Ukraine’s President and Foreign Minister, where discussions included the ongoing war and the Fridman affair. Decisions on this matter rest collectively with European Union member states, he said, and expressed satisfaction at the EU’s continued unity on sanctions against Russia.
"I am pleased that we managed to move forward with the latest sanctions package as twenty-seven countries", he said, before adding that it would be hypocritical not to openly discuss issues like the Fridman case with Ukraine.
Bettel concluded that, in his view, the Russia-Ukraine conflict is currently less polarising than the situation in the Middle East.
He voiced his regret that Palestinian representatives were not authorised to travel to New York for the Assembly, and expressed hope that the upcoming elections in the region would proceed under fair conditions.
