UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told global leaders Wednesday that the world is in 鈥渢he most destructive arms race in human history鈥 and urged the international community to act against Russia now, asserting that Vladimir Putin wants to expand his war in Europe.
In a bleak view of today鈥檚 world, he told the annual high-level meeting of the U.N. General Assembly that weak international institutions including the United Nations haven鈥檛 been able to stop wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and elsewhere, and international law can鈥檛 help nations survive.
鈥淲eapons decide who survives,鈥 the Ukrainian leader said. 鈥淭here are no security guarantees except friends and weapons.鈥
Zelenskyy spoke from the podium of the vast assembly chamber a day after he met with President Donald Trump, who expressed support for Ukraine鈥檚 efforts and criticized Russia. said Tuesday that he believed Ukraine could win back all territory lost to Russia, a dramatic shift from the U.S. leader鈥檚 repeated to end the war sparked by President Vladimir Putin’s February 2022 invasion of its smaller neighbor.
Zelenskyy did not comment on the surprise U.S. pivot, saying only that he had 鈥渁 good meeting鈥 with Trump and with many other 鈥渟trong leaders.”
“Together, we can change a lot,鈥 he said, expressing appreciation for support from the United States. and Europe and urging all U.N. member nations to condemn Russia while it 鈥渒eeps dragging this war on.鈥
If Putin isn’t stopped now, the Ukrainian president warned the assembly that he will keep driving the war forward, 鈥渨ider and deeper.鈥
鈥淯kraine is only the first, and now Russian drones are already flying across Europe, and Russian operations are already spreading across countries,鈥 he said.
Worries about Moldova
Zelenskyy said neighboring Moldova is defending itself again from Russian interference and should not be allowed to move toward dependency on Russia as Georgia and Belarus are. 鈥淓urope cannot afford to lose Moldova, too,鈥 he said, stressing that the country needs funding and energy support, not just 鈥減olitical gestures.鈥
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Zelenskyy said, weapons and especially drones 鈥渁re evolving faster than our ability to defend ourselves.鈥
While drones previously were used by major countries, he said, 鈥淣ow, there are tens of thousands of people who know how to professionally kill using drones.鈥
Recently, European airports had to shut down because of drones, Zelenskyy said, and last week North Korea announced the test of 鈥渁 tactical drone鈥 which means even countries with limited resources can build dangerous weapons.
鈥淲e are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history, because this time it includes artificial intelligence,鈥 he said. 鈥淐ompanies are already working on drones that can shoot down other drones, and it鈥檚 only a matter of time — not much — before drones are fighting drones, attacking critical infrastructure and attacking people all by themselves 鈥 fully autonomous and no human involved except the few who control AI system.”
Zelenskyy echoed U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in calling for global rules on how AI can be used in weapons, stressing that 鈥渢his is just as urgent as preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.鈥
Stopping Putin now is cheaper than trying to protect every port and airport and every ship from drone attacks, and having to build underground schools and health centers as Ukraine has been forced to do to protect its citizens, he said. 鈥淪topping Russia now is cheaper than wondering who will be the first to create a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead.鈥
鈥淪o we must use everything we have together to force the aggressor to stop, and only then do we have a real chance that this arms race will not end in catastrophe for all of us,鈥 the Ukrainian leader said.
The Ukrainian leader said his country doesn鈥檛 have 鈥渂ig fat missiles dictators love to show off in parades鈥 but it is producing drones that can fly 2,000 to 3,000 kilometers which have been used against Russia.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine is building a new security architecture, and more than 30 countries are part of its coalition, and 鈥渨e have decided to open up for arms exports 鈥 and these are powerful systems tested in a real war when every international institution failed.鈥
