**Ukrainian President Zelensky Warns of “Most Destructive Arms Race” and Urges Action Against Russia**
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has delivered a stark warning to global leaders, describing the current global climate as the most destructive arms race in human history. Speaking at the annual high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, Zelensky urged the international community to act decisively against Russia, emphasizing that Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to expand his war across Europe.
In a bleak assessment of today’s world, Zelensky pointed out that weak international institutions, including the United Nations, have failed to stop conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and elsewhere. “International law cannot help nations survive,” he said. “Weapons decide who survives. There are no security guarantees except friends and weapons.”
Zelensky’s speech came from the vast UN assembly chamber just a day after his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, who expressed support for Ukraine and criticized Russia. Significantly, Trump indicated that he believes Ukraine could reclaim all territory lost to Russia—a notable shift from his previous calls for Kyiv to make concessions to end the war triggered by Putin’s February 2022 invasion.
While Zelensky did not directly comment on this change in U.S. policy, he described his meeting with Trump and other strong leaders as positive. “Together, we can change a lot,” he said, expressing gratitude for support from both the United States and Europe. He urged all UN member states to condemn Russia as the conflict drags on.
“If Putin is not stopped now,” Zelensky warned, “he will keep driving the war forward—wider and deeper.” He stressed that Ukraine is only the beginning, noting that Russian drones are already flying across Europe and Russian operations are spreading to other countries.
Highlighting regional concerns, Zelensky mentioned that neighboring Moldova is defending itself against Russian interference and should not be allowed to fall into dependency on Russia as Georgia and Belarus have. “Europe cannot afford to lose Moldova, too,” he said, stressing the need for funding and energy support for the country beyond political gestures.
Since the Russian invasion, Zelensky explained, weapons technology—especially drones—is evolving faster than countries can develop defenses. “While drones were previously used mainly by major countries, now tens of thousands of people know how to professionally kill using drones,” he said.
Recent incidents include European airports shutting down due to drone threats, and North Korea’s announcement of testing a tactical drone, showing even countries with limited resources can develop dangerous weapons.
“We are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history, because this time it includes artificial intelligence,” Zelensky stated. He revealed that companies are developing drones capable of shooting down other drones, predicting it’s only a matter of time before drones autonomously fight each other, attack critical infrastructure, and target people—with AI systems controlling them and no human involvement beyond oversight.
Echoing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Zelensky called for global rules governing the use of AI in weapons, stressing the urgency is comparable to preventing nuclear proliferation.
“Stopping Putin now is cheaper than trying to protect every port, airport, and ship from drone attacks,” Zelensky said. “It’s cheaper than having to build underground schools and health centers as Ukraine has been forced to do to protect its citizens.”
He added a grave warning about nuclear threats: “Stopping Russia now is cheaper than wondering who will be the first to create a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead.”
The Ukrainian leader called for united global efforts to force the aggressor to stop, warning that only then will humanity have a real chance to prevent this arms race from ending in catastrophe.
Zelensky highlighted Ukraine’s evolving military capabilities, stating that while the country does not possess large missiles typically showcased by dictators, it is producing drones capable of flying 2,000 to 3,000 kilometers, which have been actively used against Russia.
He also announced that Ukraine is building a new security architecture involving more than 30 countries forming a coalition. “We have decided to open up for arms exports,” he said, “and these are powerful systems tested in a real war where every international institution has failed.”
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https://www.breakingnews.ie/world/ukraines-zelensky-says-world-is-in-most-destructive-arms-race-in-history-1810497.html