Zelenskyy Warns of AI-Driven Arms Race in UN Address

Ukraine issues a stark warning about a global arms race and AI war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Wednesday. Richard Drew/AP hide caption Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned world leaders about the dangers of an artificial intelligence-driven war in a stark address to the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday. "It's only a matter of time, not much, before drones are fighting drones, attacking critical infrastructure and targeting people all by themselves, fully autonomous and no human involved, except the few who control AI systems," Zelenskyy said. "We are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history because this time, it includes artificial intelligence." His address came at a time of heightened alarm in Europe after recent Russian drone incursions into some of NATO's eastern member states, which raised fears of a regional spillover from Russia's 3 1/2-year-old, full-scale invasion of Ukraine. "Ukraine is only the first and now Russian drones are already flying across Europe, and Russian operations are already spreading across countries, and Putin wants to continue this war by expanding it," Zelenskyy said. The speech also came a day after President Trump made another shift in his position on the war in Ukraine. "After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. That's a reversal from the position expressed previously by the Trump administration that Kyiv would need to give up some of its territory to Moscow -- such as Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014 -- to end the war. Trump met with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday. Asked by a reporter during the meeting if Trump thinks NATO members should shoot down Russian aircraft that violates their airspace, the U.S. president responded: "Yes, I do."

Weapons decide who survives, Zelenskyy tells the UN General Assembly

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy slammed the United Nations as ineffective for nations experiencing war, telling the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that "only we can guarantee our own security" as he warned of humanity's "most destructive arms race" driven by artificial intelligence and drone warfare. "What can Sudan, Somalia or Palestine or any other people living through war really expect from the UN? For decades, just statements", Ukraine's president said in his criticism of the international institutions for the lack of action. In a strongly-worded speech, the Ukrainian leader said that "there are no security guarantees, except friends with weapons," stating that weapons determine survival and international law only functions with "powerful friends who are truly willing to stand up for it." "And even that doesn't work without weapons," he emphasised. Ukraine's president dedicated much of his time on the podium to what he described as "the most destructive arms race in human history". Weapons are evolving faster than our ability to defend ourselves, Zelenskyy said, adding, "Now, there are tens of thousands of people who know how to professionally kill using drones." "Stopping that kind of attack is harder than stopping any gun, knife or bomb, this is what Russia has brought with its war." Ukraine's president admitted that in the past, only the strongest countries could afford to use drones because they were expensive and complex. However, the situation has changed, and even simple drones can now fly thousands of kilometres. "War tech doesn't care about geography anymore, it's now reshaping," he said, warning that the world is moving too slowly to protect itself. "It's only a matter of time before drones are fighting drones, attacking critical infrastructure and targeting people all by themselves," he says. "Fully autonomous and no human involved except the few who control AI systems. We are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history because this time, it includes artificial intelligence." Zelenskyy then called on the leaders to act now and support Ukraine in Russia's war against his country. He said Ukraine had no choice but to build drones "to protect our right to life". "The facts are simple, stopping this war now and within the global arms race is cheaper than building underground kindergartens or massive bunkers for critical infrastructure later." "Stopping Putin now is cheaper than trying to protect every port and every ship from terrorists with sea drones. Stopping Russia now is cheaper than wondering who will be the tourists to create a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead," Zelenskyy stated.