Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin was scheduled to speak at the United Nations Monday. Pictured: Putin leads a meeting on budget planning for 2016 at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Sept. 22, 2015. Reuters/Alexei Nikolsky/RIA Novosti/Kremlin

This year marks the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, and many of the world’s top leaders were scheduled to descend on the Turtle Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. He was scheduled to speak eighth during Monday’s morning session, after the representative from Jordan.

Putin’s speech will be live-streamed here. An English language translation of Putin's speech will also be made available. With increased tensions over Russia’s role in both Syria and Ukraine, Putin’s speech will be an important one to watch.

The Russian leader has been notably absent from the U.N.’s General Assembly in recent years. The last time Putin spoke to the meeting of world leaders and dignitaries was in 2005. Experts expect Putin to address the conflict in Syria. This month, Russia admitted to sending military advisers and equipment to Syria to aid President Bashar Assad. The U.S. has grown concerned over Russia’s role in Syria, and President Barack Obama was scheduled to speak with Putin on the sidelines of the General Assembly.

Ukrainian-American groups and Russian-American human rights groups have already planned protests against Putin. Ukrainian-Americans were scheduled to protest Russia’s involvement in Eastern Ukraine, where the conflict that began in 2014 has taken the lives of nearly 8,000 people and displaced 1.4 million. Russian-Americans were planning to protest Putin’s harsh response to LGBT rights in Russia as well as general human rights conditions.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko was scheduled to address the General Assembly Tuesday. His remarks will likely address Russia’s role in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. A Ukrainian official told a local news source that there was no meeting scheduled between Poroshenko and Putin.

Obama was also scheduled to speak Monday along with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and French President Francois Hollande. The General Assembly begins Monday and runs through Saturday.