The Big Story 

The Ukrainian leader also warned of nuclear war and "mass destruction" during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

© AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky raised alarm bells at the United Nations gathering, calling for more international action against Moscow.

“We have to stop it. We must act united to defeat the aggressor," Zelensky said.

He warned Russia would not stop with Ukraine, saying the Baltic states and Kazakhstan were also threatened, and argued the chance of nuclear war increases the longer the conflict goes on.

Zelensky urged support for a peace plan that calls for Russia to withdraw from Ukrainian territory.

President Biden also addressed the U.N. on Tuesday, saying the world has been "darkened by the shadow" of Russia's war.

"We must stand up to this naked aggression today to deter other would-be aggressors tomorrow," Biden said.

Zelensky hit the ground running once his plane landed in New York City on Monday.

On Tuesday morning, the wartime leader traveled to Staten Island University Hospital, where he awarded medals and posed for pictures with 18 Ukrainian soldiers who were wounded in the war.

But the trip is not over: Zelensky is also set to address the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday. He has repeatedly pushed to remove Russia from the body.

On Thursday, Zelensky will meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill as Congress considers new aid to Ukraine that is vital to keep his country in the fight.

But he may face resistance in the House.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Russia's invasion was an "atrocity" but he wanted "accountability" and a path to end the war.

"What is the plan for victory?” McCarthy asked. "I want a plan for victory.”

Read full coverage of the UN assembly and Zelensky visit at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Brad Dress — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.

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