--- title: The U.N. Must Listen to President Zelensky and Ukraine description: "Now, more than ever, it is vital that Ukraine remains at the forefront of global debate," writes Richard Branson. canonical: https://time.com/7319512/u-n-listen-to-zelensky-and-ukraine/ author: Richard Branson article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2025-09-23T10:30:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-11T00:18:18.995Z article:section: Ideas og:title: The U.N. Must Listen to President Zelensky and Ukraine og:description: "Now, more than ever, it is vital that Ukraine remains at the forefront of global debate," writes Richard Branson. og:url: https://time.com/7319512/u-n-listen-to-zelensky-and-ukraine/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte0643d9daad3af7d/6998c9edf1b08209426f1b3e/Volodymyr-Zelensky-UN.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: UNGA President Volodymyr Zelensky og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The U.N. Must Listen to President Zelensky and Ukraine twitter:description: "Now, more than ever, it is vital that Ukraine remains at the forefront of global debate," writes Richard Branson. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte0643d9daad3af7d/6998c9edf1b08209426f1b3e/Volodymyr-Zelensky-UN.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  IDEAS Time ideas # The U.N. Must Listen to President Zelensky and Ukraine > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Inside TIME: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Inside TIME is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories. Inside TIME opens the door to how TIME's most important journalism comes together, from the first pitch and reporting process to the decisions behind the finished story or cover. Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs takes readers inside the newsroom, revealing the journalists, ideas and editorial choices behind the stories shaping the global conversation. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=8a2a7d52-1ba7-4fd7-8d86-23b6ede4f806&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Sam Jacobs, Editor-in-Chief | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership Globally minded knowledge seekers. Readers who turn to journalism to understand the world, with meaningful concentrations among educators, students, media professionals, civic institutions and knowledge workers. ### TIME Inside TIME: key statements * Inside TIME is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * Inside TIME is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=8a2a7d52-1ba7-4fd7-8d86-23b6ede4f806&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/subscribe?i=8a2a7d52-1ba7-4fd7-8d86-23b6ede4f806&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is Inside TIME? Inside TIME is a twice-weekly newsletter written by TIME Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs. It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=8a2a7d52-1ba7-4fd7-8d86-23b6ede4f806&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) by [Richard Branson](https://time.com/author/richard-branson/) ## Richard Branson Sep 23, 2025 10:30 AM UTC  Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky at 79th UNGA in New York City on September 25, 2024\. Zelensky is scheduled to speak at the U.N. on Wednesday. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky at 79th UNGA in New York City on September 25, 2024\. Zelensky is scheduled to speak at the U.N. on Wednesday. Angela Weiss—AFP/Getty Images by [Richard Branson](https://time.com/author/richard-branson/) ## Richard Branson Sep 23, 2025 10:30 AM UTC As world leaders descend on New York once again for the United Nations General Assembly, it feels that the world is more unstable than it has been for many years, with dozens of countries embroiled in armed conflict, and democracy and freedom in decline. It’s against this backdrop of daunting global challenges that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address the U.N. tomorrow, as he has done every year since Russia’s unprovoked invasion of his country in February 2022\. Now, more than ever, it is vital that Ukraine remains at the forefront of global debate. The past few years have brought dramatic upheavals, from [Gaza](https://time.com/7306344/gazans-dying-of-starvation/) to [Sudan](https://time.com/magazine/). Radical changes in U.S. policy following the re-election of President Donald Trump have [weakened](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/us/politics/trump-ukraine-weapons.html) Ukraine’s defences and shifted responsibility to Europe and its remaining Western allies, who are now under immense pressure to stay united against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s imperial goals. What hasn’t changed is the ferocity of Russia’s assault on Ukraine. Russian [attacks](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/world/europe/russian-strike-kyiv-ukraine.html) continue to maim and kill women, children, and the elderly with frequency and impunity. Missile attacks [continue](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/09/16/russian-missiles-ukraine-universities-railways/) to rain down on Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine, whilst the latest show of aggression saw [Polish](https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/opinions%5F237559.htm) and [Romanian](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c80g7g5rmlno) airspace breached by Russian drones. These are further signs that far from tempering Putin’s ambitions, the failed diplomatic efforts of the last months have only emboldened him to engage in increasingly more brazen brinkmanship to test the West’s resolve. While Western condemnations of Putin’s actions are plentiful, it remains to be seen just how much more aggression it will take for America and Europe to reunite and confront Putin with the full range of measures at their disposal, from effective and strictly enforced sanctions targeting Russia’s war economy to asset seizures and unconditional weapons support. It’s the only way of forcing Putin to the negotiating table. Whatever happens next, it won’t undo the enormous sacrifices Ukraine’s brave people have had to make already. Now in its fourth year, the war has cost hundreds of thousands of lives, on the frontlines and in communities across the country. More than 80,000 Ukrainians are in need of a prosthetic as a result of the war. It’s a figure likely to increase significantly, as Ukraine is now also the most landmine-contaminated country in the world, with almost 30% of its territory affected–an area larger than the entire country of Greece. It's hard to overstate the danger large-scale landmine-contamination creates for civilians. From Cambodia to Afghanistan, landmine contamination has traumatised entire generations, and the toll on Ukraine is already significant. It takes just three seconds for a a landmine to detonate (which is also the same average amount of time most people spend on a social media post). Imagine having to say goodbye to your loved ones in three seconds. Now imagine the incredible resilience of the Ukrainian people and the “[Superhumans](https://superhumans.com/en/defendingfreedom/)” who are fighting for all of us. The horrors of war are real and we must never stop highlighting what millions of brave Ukrainians continue to endure every day. Their struggle wasn’t a choice, their suffering not inevitable. Now, responsibility rests with Putin alone. He could end this war tomorrow, and he must be brought to account for what he wrought. For that to happen, we must all play our part. Let’s unite behind Ukraine, keep their struggle at the center of the world’s attention, and prove that together, we can shape a better, freer world where sovereignty and self-determination have real meaning. [TIME Ideas](https://www.time.com/ideas) hosts the world's leading voices, providing commentary on events in news, society, and culture. We welcome outside contributions. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7319512/u-n-listen-to-zelensky-and-ukraine/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7319512/u-n-listen-to-zelensky-and-ukraine/"},"headline":"The U.N. Must Listen to President Zelensky and Ukraine","datePublished":"2025-09-23T10:30:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-11T00:18:18.995Z","description":"\"Now, more than ever, it is vital that Ukraine remains at the forefront of global debate,\" writes Richard Branson.","url":"https://time.com/7319512/u-n-listen-to-zelensky-and-ukraine/","keywords":["world affairs"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte0643d9daad3af7d/6998c9edf1b08209426f1b3e/Volodymyr-Zelensky-UN.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Richard Branson","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/richard-branson/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte0643d9daad3af7d/6998c9edf1b08209426f1b3e/Volodymyr-Zelensky-UN.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"UNGA President Volodymyr Zelensky","caption":"UNGA President Volodymyr Zelensky","creditText":"Angela Weiss—AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/world-affairs/","name":"world affairs"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7319512/u-n-listen-to-zelensky-and-ukraine/","name":"The U.N. Must Listen to President Zelensky and Ukraine"}}]}] ```