Addressing the assembly hall in New York, Biden took on the mantle of elder statesman as he alternated between a message of hope and a defence of his foreign policy record.
Without giving a clear vision of how the wars in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan might end, he drew on his five decades in government service to exhort leaders to serve their people and find ways to make peace.
"I've seen a remarkable sweep of history," he said. "Things can get better, we should never forget that, I've seen that throughout my career."
Biden began with Ukraine, where he again condemned Vladimir Putin's invasion and called for continued support for Kyiv.
"We cannot grow weary," he said as Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, looked on. "We cannot look away. We will not let up on our support for Ukraine. Not until Ukraine wins a just and durable peace." He also said "Putin's war has failed at his core aim", leading to a strategic reordering that strengthened Nato and brought two new countries, Finland and Sweden, into the security pact.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
London to host first finals of rugby's Nations Championship
Exclusive
Waiting game Tuchel not expected to attend matches in England until 2025
Thomas Tuchel is not expected to attend Premier League matches to scout players before he begins his role as England's head coach on 1 January.
Tuchel's club record does not mean he will shine in internationals
German's success stands out but many big-name managers have proved unable to replicate domestic triumphs in World Cups and Euros
Dyche queries FA pathway for developing English talent
Sean Dyche has questioned whether the Football Association remains committed to giving English coaches a pathway to the top after the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as men's national team manager.
Paquetá tells lawyers to complain to FA over 'leaks'
West Ham's Lucas Paquetá has instructed his lawyers to complain to the Football Association over \"false and misleading\" leaks relating to the investigation into his alleged breaches of betting regulations.
Salman puts hosts in control after wasteful England miss chances
For all the chaos that preceded this game Pakistan find themselves in control. It is not yet over but it has started to feel decided: England have never successfully chased more than 209 to win a Test in Asia and their target here is 297, the pursuit of which started in the final halfhour of the third day in the worst imaginable style.
Winless but still far from hopeless Assessing the Premier League's bottom four
Struggling quartet have not tasted victory seven matches in but have reasons to cling to optimism for the rest of the season
‘Even today, Liverpool fans I meet still show me love'
Now banished to Bremen's under-23s, the former Reds midfielder discusses injuries, Klopp and World Cup dreams
Hamano's audacious lob puts Chelsea in charge on Dutch soil
Goals from young forwards Aggie Beever-Jones and Maika Hamano showed just how bright Chelsea's future is as they continued their winning start to the season under new manager Sonia Bompastor with a 3-1 defeat of FC Twente.
Ainslie revels in underdog role as Ineos Britannia plot fightback
Twenty-four hours can be a long time on the water. When the sea state off Barcelona changed on Tuesday, the balance of the 37th America's Cup shifted with it. All of a sudden, Ineos Britannia, who were trailing Emirates Team New Zealand 4-0 in the best-of-13 series, were swept back into contention. The America's Cup is a competition for sailboat builders as well as sailors, and the subtle design differences between the two AC75 yachts gave the British team an advantage in the heavier weather. Soon enough, they had pulled the score back to 4-2.
