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UNITED NATIONS – Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša accused the United Nations of applying double standards to global conflicts, arguing that the international community’s focus on Gaza has overshadowed Russia’s war in Ukraine and other humanitarian crises, while revealing that President Donald Trump has promised to visit Slovenia, the homeland of First Lady Melania Trump.
Speaking exclusively to Fox News Digital on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, Janša said the international body must give greater attention to conflicts beyond the Middle East rather than concentrating its diplomatic efforts on a single crisis.
“We have to get rid of double standards,” Janša said, calling for the UN to apply its available diplomatic and security tools equally instead of putting its attention, money and energy into one conflict while neglecting others.
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Right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) leader Janez Jansa addresses the media after his investiture vote as Slovenia’s Prime Minister at the National Assembly in Ljubljana on May 22, 2026. (Jure Makovec / AFP via Getty Images)
The Slovenian leader said he was struck by how extensively Gaza dominated speeches during the opening of the General Assembly, while Ukraine, a war much closer to his country’s borders, received comparatively less attention.
For Slovenia and other European countries, he said, Russia’s invasion represents an immediate security threat, with no clear indication that Moscow is prepared to negotiate an end to the fighting.
Janša argued that the UN was established to prevent such conflicts and should not allow its attention to be consumed by one region.
He also pointed to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria and other humanitarian crises, arguing that the international body must recognize that different countries face different security and humanitarian challenges.
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An office building burns following a Russian drone attack in central Odesa, Ukraine, on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026. (Michael Shtekel/AP)
Janša said he intends to raise the issue during his own address to the General Assembly, scheduled for Thursday.
His criticism comes as Slovenia undergoes a significant shift in its foreign policy, particularly toward Israel.
Under the previous government of Prime Minister Robert Golob, Slovenia recognized Palestinian statehood in June 2024 and imposed an arms embargo on Israel in July 2025. The government defended those measures as necessary to protect Palestinian civilians and uphold international law.
Since returning to power, Janša has sought to strengthen Slovenia’s relationship with Israel, marking a shift from the previous government’s more critical approach toward the Jewish state.
Earlier this month, Israel opened its first resident embassy in Slovenia, while Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar visited the country for talks aimed at expanding political and economic cooperation. The two governments also signed a cooperation program covering education, science, culture, youth and sports through 2030.
Janša described his government’s approach as a return to the traditionally good relations between the two countries rather than a dramatic diplomatic realignment.
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US President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy shake hands as they meet on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, US, in this handout released September 22, 2026. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters)
He also criticized European governments that, in his view, have failed to recognize the broader strategic connections between Iran, Russia and the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Janša said he has supported the Iranian opposition for decades and argued that lasting peace in the Middle East would remain elusive without political change in Tehran.
He accused some European governments of applying inconsistent standards by supporting Ukraine while taking positions toward Iran that he believes fail to account for Tehran’s relationship with Moscow, citing Ireland and Spain as well as Slovenia under the previous government before this year’s change in leadership.
Janša also suggested that some European leaders have used the Palestinian issue to divert public attention from domestic economic and political problems, particularly ahead of elections.
The prime minister’s visit to New York also provided an opportunity to strengthen Slovenia’s relationship with Washington, a relationship that carries a personal dimension because of the country’s most prominent American connection: First Lady Melania Trump.
Born in Slovenia in 1970, Melania Trump grew up in the town of Sevnica before moving to the United States and becoming the nation’s second foreign-born first lady.
The prime minister praised Melania Trump’s work on initiatives for children, describing her role in the White House as a source of pride for many Slovenians. He said his wife met the first lady for the first time on Tuesday and that he also spoke briefly with President Trump.
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U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive for the 80th session of the UN’s General Assembly (UNGA) on September 23, 2025 in New York City. This year’s theme for the annual global meeting is:”Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights.” Gaza and Ukraine are just two of the global emergencies that world leaders will look to address. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
According to Janša, he invited Trump to visit Slovenia and received a positive response. “He promised he’ll come,” Janša told Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital’s Tyler Speicher contributed to this report.