US President Donald Trump delivered a scathing critique of the United Nations and global diplomacy during his address to the 80th United Nations General Assembly, calling out India and China as the “main funders” of Russia’s war in Ukraine and mocking the UN for its perceived failures in global conflict resolution. “Let’s be honest — China and India are funding this war,” Trump said from the iconic UNGA podium. “Without their money flowing in through energy deals, this war would be much harder to sustain.”
Trump claimed that while the West is trying to isolate Russia economically, large-scale purchases of Russian oil and gas by New Delhi and Beijing are undermining global efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine. Trump’s comments come at a time when the US and India are engaged in sensitive trade negotiations, with New Delhi resisting Western pressure to sever its energy ties with Moscow. India has defended its Russian crude imports as a matter of national interest and energy security. Although Trump did not outline any specific retaliatory actions against India or China, he warned of a new round of tariffs if Russiadoes not show readiness to negotiate peace.
“If Russia is not ready to make a deal, the United States is fully prepared to impose a very strong round of powerful tariffs,” he warned. “But for those to work, Europe and others must stop funding Russia’s war machine — that includes China and India.”
As of August 2025, India remains one of the largest buyers of Russian crude oil, capitalising on discounted prices amid Western sanctions. China continues to be Russia’s biggest energy customer. Reiterating his long-standing claim of having ended seven global conflicts during his previous term, Trump again referred to the India-Pakistan conflict, despite India repeatedly denying any external mediation.
“I ended seven wars, dealt with the leaders of each and every one of these countries, and never even received a phone call from the United Nations offering to help,” Trump said. “All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that stopped halfway up.”
Trump has previously claimed he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, and again suggested his diplomatic interventions were more effective than UN efforts.
Trump repeatedly ridiculed the United Nations as ineffective and symbolic, accusing it of inaction in real-world crises.
“What is the purpose of the United Nations if all they do is write a strongly worded letter and never follow up?” he asked. “The UN has such tremendous potential… but it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential.”
He mocked his experience at UN headquarters, saying, “These are the two things I got from the United Nations-a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter.”
Trump further accused the United Nations of “funding an assault on Western borders,” specifically referencing its support for migrants.
“The UN is supporting people that are illegally coming into the United States,” he said. “They’re providing food, shelter, debit cards and transportation.”
Though Trump did not name the agency, his remarks appeared aimed at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a UN-affiliated body that aids vulnerable migrants globally.
Opening his speech, Trump declared the dawn of a “Golden Age of America”, touting economic revival, energy independence, and a return to “real leadership.” However, the tone quickly shifted to confrontation, laying bare Trump’s transactional approach to foreign policy and open skepticism of multilateral institutions.
With his return to the world stage, Trump made it clear that in his second term, diplomacy would be dictated by deals, not dialogue, and action, not consensus.
