UNITED NATIONS, September 9. /TASS/. The 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly is set to kick off on September 9.

Former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will serve as General Assembly president, succeeding Philemon Yang. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryablov said earlier that Baerbock’s election as General Assembly chief could have a negative impact on the session’s agenda as she had pursued a destructive policy as Germany’s top diplomat.

The General Debate of the High-Level Week, set for September 23-27 and 29, will be the key event of the session. A total of 195 delegations are expected to address the General Assembly. Russia will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is scheduled to deliver his address on September 27.

The 80th session of the UN General Assembly will take place amid a severe financial crisis facing the global body as a number of countries have failed to pay their budget assessments. The United States, the largest UN donor, owes about $3 billion in payments. China, the second largest donor state, has suspended payments until the end of the year, increasing financial instability. Delays in payments are forcing the UN to reduce its spending, freeze recruitment and cut humanitarian programs, including those aimed at providing assistance to children and refugees.

In response, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has launched the UN80 initiative to cut the budget by 20%, which could eliminate 6,900 jobs by 2026.

Although the US is actively calling for streamlining the United Nations’ activities, its funding cuts, including the move to pull back about $1 billion of previously approved UN funding in July 2025, are complicating the situation. UN sources point out that the measures initiated by the Donald Trump administration threaten key programs such as peacekeeping missions and humanitarian aid deliveries, which is causing concern among a number of member states.