NEW YORK — US President Donald Trump delivered a combative address to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, defending his administration's unilateral foreign policy and denouncing the recent wave of Western recognitions of a Palestinian state.

The speech followed announcements by France, the United Kingdom and Canada recognising Palestinian statehood earlier in the assembly's high-level week. Trump has repeatedly called such moves a reward for Hamas, and White House officials had signalled he would use the platform to pressure allies to reverse course.

Trump also addressed the war in Ukraine, tariffs and what he described as the failure of multilateral institutions, according to excerpts released by the White House. He is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines, including with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

European diplomats responded swiftly, with several defending their recognition decisions as consistent with a two-state solution. France's Foreign Ministry rejected the characterisation that recognition rewarded militants and reaffirmed Paris's position.

The UN gathering unfolds against the backdrop of the continuing war in Gaza and a global diesel shortage linked to conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Secretary-General António Guterres has urged member states to prioritise diplomacy over confrontation during the week's proceedings.