They said it: Leaders at the UN, in their own words

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UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Many leaders saying many things about many topics that matter to them, to their regions, to the world: That’s what the U.N. General Assembly invariably produces each year.

And each year, certain voices dominate. Here, The Associated Press takes the opposite approach and spotlights some thoughts from leaders who might have not captured the headlines and airtime on Wednesday, the second day of the 2025 General Debate.

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“Small states are not inherently small. Our sovereignty is equal, and our responsibilities are the same. Leadership is not the loudest voice in the room. It is the clearest voice for justice.” —

— Julius Maada Bio, president of Sierra Leone

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“Rules shape behaviors to which the vast majority of international actors adhere. Even when they are breached, they provide a basis for accountability and enforcement. Rules are the voice of reason used in international relations. They are the best defense against the rule of the strongest. A world without rules is uncharted territory. A time without rules is returning to the Middle Ages.”

— Don Felipe VI, king of Spain

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“Institutions rarely fail because they lack vision or ideals. More often, they drift into irrelevance when they do not adapt, when they hesitate to act and when they lose legitimacy. To remain relevant, institutions must be re-imagined, reformed, renewed, and aligned with emerging realities.”

— William Ruto, president of Kenya

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“Brutality prevails. We simply cannot let this go on.”

— Alar Karis, president of Estonia

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“Peace is more than silencing the guns. It requires preventing new wars and breaking the cycles of violence from the past.”

— Zoran Milanović, president of Croatia