President Donald Trump is set to address the United Nations General Assembly this week, marking his first speech at the annual gathering since returning to the White House. The address is scheduled for Tuesday, but Trump will face significant isolation from many member nations and key allies due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

In recent months, Trump has implemented substantial cuts to U.S. foreign aid, including support for U.N. agencies, as humanitarian crises escalate worldwide. His appearance at the 80th session of the U.N. comes as several prominent world leaders are poised to formally recognize Palestinian statehood amid rising international concern over the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

On Monday, France and Saudi Arabia will host an international peace conference in New York, advocating for a two-state solution. France and other nations are expected to join over 140 countries that have already recognized Palestinian statehood. Leaders from the United Kingdom, France, and Canada have called for an end to the conflict in Gaza, demanding the immediate release of hostages and a shift in governance away from Hamas.

The French government has indicated that ten countries, including Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Portugal, Malta, Britain, and San Marino, will formally recognize Palestinian statehood during the meeting. The U.S. will not participate in the conference and was one of only ten nations to vote against a General Assembly resolution supporting the high-level gathering.

In response to the anticipated recognition, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to retaliate, potentially including the annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank. Netanyahu stated, "I have a clear message to those leaders who recognize a Palestinian state after the terrible massacre on October 7th, 2023: You are giving a huge reward to terrorism. And I have another message for you: It will not happen. A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River."

Critics of the recognition, including U.S. and Israeli officials, argue that it could embolden Hamas and further isolate Israel and the Trump administration internationally. U.S. officials have described the recognition as largely "performative" and "symbolic," asserting it will not aid in mending relations between Palestinians and the Israeli government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio remarked, "We warned them that we thought that was counterproductive. We actually think it undermined negotiations, because it emboldened Hamas, and we think it undermines future prospects of peace in the region."

The U.S., a key ally of Israel, has opposed the recognition and recently moved to deny visas to the Palestinian delegation, including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, ahead of the conference. The Palestinian state holds permanent observer status at the U.N. but is not a full member. However, the U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to allow Abbas to address the gathering virtually after the Trump administration declined to grant him a visa. The motion passed with a vote of 145-5, with six abstentions.

On Sunday, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia officially recognized a Palestinian state, following an official visit from Trump to the U.K., where he expressed disapproval of the recognition plan. Some experts caution that while acknowledging Palestinian statehood is overdue, it must be paired with concrete actions against the Israeli occupation, which has intensified recently.

Trump is expected to meet with Netanyahu during the U.N. gathering and will also engage with other foreign leaders, including Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa. This meeting will be their second this year as Syria faces challenges in rebuilding after years of civil war.

Additionally, Iran's nuclear program will be a significant topic at this year's assembly, as sanctions against Tehran, lifted a decade ago, are set to be reinstated. France, Germany, and the U.K. initiated the "snapback mechanism" last month to automatically reimpose all U.N. sanctions that were in effect before the nuclear deal.

Trump will also meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss postwar security guarantees, which Zelenskyy has emphasized are crucial for resolving the ongoing conflict with Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to engage in meaningful negotiations to end the war, which has persisted for nearly four years.