A Ukrainian service member carries a drone before its launch near a front line in the Kharkiv region in July.Serhii Korovainyi/Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned world leaders they are living through the most destructive arms race in human history, spurred by Russia’s militarism, and he appealed to leaders for more aid to stop Moscow before President Vladimir Putin expands the conflict.
Mr. Zelensky made his remarks at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where his allies were well aware of Ukraine’s predicament: Russia has continued to make slow but steady battlefield gains, even at the price of heavy casualties.
His presence appears to have had an effect. On Tuesday, after a meeting with Mr. Zelensky on the sidelines of the General Assembly, U.S. President Donald Trump shifted his rhetoric on Ukraine, calling Russia a “paper tiger” and predicting Kyiv could win back all the territory taken by Moscow since 2014.
Trump’s about-face on Ukraine baffles leaders on both sides of conflict
In a wide-ranging speech to the assembly on Wednesday, Mr. Zelensky said international institutions are “too weak” to stop wars and that peace in the 21st century is ensured only by strong partnerships and weapons.
And he warned that artificial intelligence coupled with drone warfare is a rising threat.
“You know perfectly well international law doesn’t work fully unless you have powerful friends who are truly willing to stand up for it. And even that doesn’t work without weapons,” Mr. Zelensky said. “There are no security guarantees except friends and weapons.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday that the world was living through the most destructive arms race in human history.
Reuters
Drone warfare in Russia’s war on Ukraine has revolutionized modern combat. Mr. Zelensky warned the spread of these relatively inexpensive aircraft, coupled with the advent of artificial intelligence, will be able to empower even small actors – terrorists, cartels, rogue states – to inflict devastation far from traditional battlefields.
Mr. Zelensky said Russia’s assault on Ukraine is responsible for driving innovation in drone warfare in both Moscow and Kyiv.
Lacking the massive stockpiles of large nations, Ukraine has developed powerful remotely piloted aircraft to drive Russian naval forces from the Black Sea, safeguarding its ports and grain trade. Mr. Zelensky noted that Ukraine’s tactics, such as using drones to destroy advanced Russian bombers, are providing new models for military operations that could upend old doctrines.
“Ukraine doesn’t have the big fat missiles dictators love to show off in parades,” but it does have drones that can fly up to 2,000 or 3,000 kilometres, he said.
“Now there are tens of thousands of people who know how to professionally kill using drones,” Mr. Zelensky said. “Stopping that kind of attack is harder than stopping any gun, knife or bomb. This is what Russia has brought with its war.”
Mr. Zelensky said Ukraine now spends more protecting infrastructure from drones and missiles than on vital public services like sport or culture. “Ukrainian farmers are learning how to protect their equipment” from Russian drone strikes, he said. “And for them, that challenge is far greater than climate change.”
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He argued it is less costly for the world to act now – to stop Russia and check the arms race – than to retrofit societies with bunkers and underground infrastructure in years to come.
“Stopping Russia now is cheaper than wondering who will be the first to create a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead.”
And he warned that if unchecked, Mr. Putin’s aggression would spread beyond Ukraine, as Russian drones and aircraft already reach across Europe. “Ukraine is only the first,” he said, stating that no country is immune.
Mr. Zelensky argued that Russian aggression now threatens Poland and Estonia, highlighting recent incidents where Russian drones violated Polish airspace – 19 were detected, with only four shot down – and Russian fighter jets deliberately entered Estonian airspace, prompting Estonia to request a UN Security Council meeting.
“Even being part of a long-standing military alliance doesn’t automatically mean you are safe.”
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he believed Ukraine could retake all its land occupied by Russia, in a sudden shift in Ukraine's favour.
Reuters
“It’s only a matter of time, not much, before drones are fighting drones, attacking critical infrastructure and targeting people all by themselves, fully autonomously and no human involved except the few who control AI systems,” Mr. Zelensky said.
“Dear leaders, we are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history, because this time it includes artificial intelligence,” he said.
He urged the development of global rules for how AI can be used in weapons. “This is just as urgent as preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.”
And he urged world leaders to stop trading with Russia and instead join the coalition of countries helping Ukraine.
“Stopping this war now, and with it, the global arms race, is cheaper than building underground kindergartens or massive bunkers for critical infrastructure later,” he said.
“Ukraine is only the first. And now Russia drones are already flying across Europe, and Russian operations are already spreading across countries, and Putin wants to continue this war by expanding it, and no one can feel safe right now.”