UN General Assembly: President Biden and Ukrainian President Zelensky set to speak at their meeting

EAST MIDTOWN, Manhattan — President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are both scheduled to speak at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.

Biden is scheduled to speak at 10 a.m. after visiting Midtown Monday evening where he declared that “Broadway is back.”

The president took the stage at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater, which is currently hosting Josh Groban’s musical Sweeney Todd.

It was a fundraiser hosted by some of Broadway’s biggest stars.

“I have never been more optimistic about the future of America than in the 800 years that I have served,” Biden joked at the event.

He hoped to discuss continued support for Ukraine and encourage countries to do more to protect democracy at Tuesday’s meeting.

First Avenue was closed early Tuesday morning in anticipation of the arrival of Biden’s motorcade during rush hour. Although the General Assembly is a high-stakes meeting, New York City commuters aren’t too happy about the gridlock.

“I want to go home and make dinner. It’s crazy! Just the traffic,” one commuter said.

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Ukrainian President Zelensky spent Monday visiting Staten Island University Hospital, where 18 Ukrainian soldiers were treated.

He will speak Tuesday to call for more support for the war effort and question why Russia is still a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.

“It is very important that all our words, all our messages are heard by our partners. And if at the United Nations, it’s still a shame, but there is still a place for Russian terrorists. It is not a question for me. I think it’s important. a question to all members of the United Nations,” Zelensky said.

After that, Zelensky will travel to Washington to lobby Congress for more funding.