US President Donald Trump’s address at the 80th United Nations General Assembly was described as "extremely undiplomatic" by South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman. His remarks particularly targeted India and China, accusing them of being the "primary funders" of the Ukraine war due to their continued purchase of Russian oil.

Coming shortly after a supposedly cordial phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where Trump referred to Modi as a "friend" and wished him on his 75th birthday, the criticism struck many observers as a diplomatic setback.

Kugelman emphasized that the speech demonstrated a lack of coherence and highlighted Washington’s unwillingness to reset its increasingly strained ties with New Delhi. He stressed that the repeated accusations against India signify not just friction but also the absence of a constructive approach towards stabilizing relationships amid ongoing economic and geopolitical disputes.

The already tense relationship between India and the US in 2025 has been further strained by Washington’s decision to double tariffs, bringing the total duty on Indian goods up to 50 percent. This punitive measure was described as retaliation against India’s continued energy partnership with Russia. For New Delhi, which has defended its oil imports on pragmatic and sovereign grounds, this ongoing trade and diplomatic discord with Washington poses a major challenge in balancing economic stability with strategic partnerships.

Kugelman underscored that such policy moves have prevented a much-anticipated "reset" in bilateral ties, leaving New Delhi cautious about Washington’s reliability as a long-term economic and security partner.

Another key development influencing the UNGA proceedings was the wave of recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state by several Western democracies, including France, the UK, Canada, Portugal, and Australia. While these moves were welcomed in parts of the Global South and the Arab world, Trump immediately condemned them as a "reward to Hamas."

Kugelman, however, urged caution against overinterpreting the recognition. He argued that while symbolically significant, the decision largely reflects political positioning rather than a clear roadmap for resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict. For Israel’s rivals, such recognition was long overdue, but Kugelman insisted it is unlikely to yield immediate material changes on the ground.

The war in Ukraine remained one of the central issues during the UNGA debate. Despite Trump’s repeated pledges to broker either a ceasefire or a comprehensive peace accord, Kugelman highlighted the persistent diplomatic stalemate. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently expressed readiness to engage in dialogue, Russia has shown no signs of ending its military operations.

Kugelman acknowledged Trump’s desire to mediate as part of his broader foreign policy objectives but remained sceptical of Moscow’s intentions. According to him, any serious negotiation remains distant, given Russia’s entrenched battlefield strategy and reluctance to concede ground.

The 80th session of the UNGA opened with the theme, "Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights." Yet, discussions were overwhelmingly dominated by the two major conflicts—Ukraine and Gaza—and the recognition of Palestinian statehood. Trump’s controversial positions and undiplomatic tone set the backdrop for an assembly grappling with questions about global leadership, trust, and the capacity of multilateralism to deliver solutions amidst strained geopolitics.

Based On ANI Report