Lydia Abela hosts meeting at UN alongside wife of Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Malta’s Prime Minister’s wife, Lydia Abela, hosted a meeting at the United Nations headquarters with Olena Zelenska, the wife of Ukrainian Prime Minister, 

The meeting, held on the margins of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, focused on the theme “The World in 2026: Finding Stability in Times of Uncertainty”.

The event brought together spouses of prime ministers from different regions and cultural backgrounds to discuss their countries’ experiences of resilience amid global challenges and uncertainty.

Addressing the meeting, Abela expressed solidarity with Ukrainians, adding she remained optimistic about the future.

Abela said Malta’s approach to resilience was based on respect for human rights, human dignity, equality and inclusion. She also spoke of the importance of international cooperation, arguing that countries could not address challenges in isolation.

She praised the role of the United Nations, European Union and Commonwealth in supporting international cooperation, while calling for investment in education, social protection and the participation of women, young people and vulnerable groups.

Lydia Abela called for greater unity and collective action to build societies in which people can face uncertainty with confidence, dignity and hope.