New York becomes the centre of global diplomacy as the 81st United Nations General Assembly opens its high-level week, with Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Benjamin Netanyahu among the key speakers, while Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un are absent. Attention then shifts to Washington, where Trump is set to host Xi for a three-day state visit. Trade, Taiwan, critical minerals, AI, fentanyl and technology restrictions are expected to dominate the summit between the world’s two largest economies.