Macron warns UN against letting 'survival of the fittest' define world order. A dig at Trump's 'America First' vision?

French President Emmanuel Macron used his address at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday (Sep 23) to draw a stark contrast with US President Donald Trump's "America First" vision of international politics, urging countries not to fall into a "survival of the fittest" mindset. Macron, who spoke just hours after Trump railed against the UN and boasted of US power, cast himself as a defender of multilateralism and international law. He said the biggest danger facing the global order today is the rise of selfishness among powerful nations. “That is the major risk of our time... a risk of seeing the survival of the fittest,” he said. “It is the risk of seeing the selfishness of a few prevail.”

'Anti-game of some people'

Macron argued that growing divisions were paralysing the international system, leaving conflicts unresolved and making it harder to tackle global challenges like climate change, pandemics, and war. “The anti-game of some people makes it almost impossible for our organisation to be collectively effective,” he warned. “They’re playing against us. We need to work together to get back to that collective multilateralism,” he added.

Macron marked the UN's 80th anniversary by calling for a return to the spirit of cooperation that inspired its founding after World War II. “The world's complexity is not a reason to throw in the towel on our principles and our ambitions,” he said. “To a certain extent, ours is a moment of paradox. We need more than ever before to restore the spirit of cooperation that prevailed 80 years ago.”

Future generations must have the “right to dream” insisted the French president.

Macron defends France's support of Ukraine

The French president also addressed two major crises head-on. He defended France’s continued support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s invasion, welcoming what he described as a shift in Trump’s tone on Kyiv. “I welcome the fact that the president of the USA believes in Ukraine's ability,” Macron said.

He also spotlighted his government’s decision this week to formally recognise a Palestinian state, calling on other nations to follow suit. Peace in the Middle East, he argued, requires reciprocal recognition: “Palestinian state, which is demilitarised [and] which recognises Israel, [and] an Israeli state, which recognises the state of Palestine.”

ICJ and ICC's authority must be respected, insists Macron at UNGA

Macron pressed countries to back the authority of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), saying their rulings are essential to preventing “might is right” from replacing the rule of law. “Let us support the ICC fight against impunity. Let us allow the orders of the ICJ to be implemented; their rulings be upheld,” he said in what was a clear dig at several countries that have recently dismissed ICC arrest orders against Russian and Israeli officials for their actions in the war in Ukraine and Gaza. Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin are among the officials who have ICC arrest warrants issued against them.