NEW YORK (NEWSnet/AP) — President Joe Biden will use his Tuesday address before the U.N. General Assembly to make the case that he’s reestablished U.S. leadership on the world stage.

Biden previewed his discussion topics in two fundraisers on Monday evening, telling supporters that he stood up to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, and questioning whether Donald Trump, the 2024 GOP presidential frontrunner, would have attempted to help Ukraine stop the Russians if he were in power.

“I will not side with dictators like Putin. Maybe Trump and his MAGA friends can bow down but I won’t,” Biden told supporters at a Broadway fundraiser.

There will be notable absences as the president speaks before the U.N. General Assembly: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Putin are all skipping the gathering.

For Biden, the more important audience for Tuesday’s speech could be in the United States as he looks to make the case to voters that he’s skillfully handled a complicated foreign policy agenda and that the experience that comes with age has proved to be an asset. This is an argument that the 80-year-old president is likely to continue to make to try to counter skepticism, even in his own Democratic Party.

Biden's message of unwavering support for Ukraine also will play out as Congress is increasingly divided over providing additional funding for Kyiv.

After his speech, Biden will meet with António Guterres, the U.N. secretary-general, as well as leaders from the so-called C5 group of Central Asian nations, which include Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The meeting is expected to focus on regional security, trade, climate change, ongoing reforms to improve governance and other issues.

On Wednesday, Biden plans to meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Wednesday, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Senior administration officials said the two leaders will discuss issues including Iran but declined to elaborate further.

His schedule Thursday includes talks at the White House with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

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