In an international forum created to pursue peace, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought continuing support from members of the United Nations to defend itself against Russia.
Zelenskyy’s comments come less than 24 hours after U.S. President Donald Trump made a remarkable foreign policy U-Turn, stating that he now believed Ukraine could win its war.
At the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, Zelenskyy warned global leaders that “we’re now living through the most destructive arms race in history.”
Zelenskyy said that weapons are evolving faster than the ability of nations to defend themselves, and AI will only accelerate the speed. He said rogue players in the future could arm the drones with nuclear weapons and called for laws to control AI before it’s too late.
“There are tens of thousands of people who know how to professionally kill. Stopping that is harder than stopping any gun, knife or bomb. This is what Russia has brought.”
Russia’s war on Ukraine, now in its fourth year, has led to an increase of drone production.
“Ukraine doesn’t have the big fat missiles. Dictators like to show off in parades, but we do have drones that can fly 2-3,000 kilometres. We have no choice but to build them to protect our right to life.”
The relatively cheap technology has enabled Kyiv to fight back against Moscow’s might. In his 19-minute speech, Zelenskyy emphasized the success of Ukrainian forces in using drones to destroy key Russian infrastructure and naval assets in the Black Sea.
Trump is taking a more critical tone toward Vladimir Putin’s war following Russian incursions into NATO airspace.
In the past week, the Kremlin has sent drones into Poland and fighter jets into Estonia’s airspace.
“Everyone thought Russia would win this war in three days, but it didn’t work out that way. It was supposed to be a quick little skirmish. It’s not making Russia look good,” Trump said in the 80th session of the assembly. He called for a “strong round of powerful tariffs to end the bloodshed” and for European nations to stop buying Russian energy."
Then, during his face-to-face meeting with Zelenskyy on the margins of UN , Trump was asked by reporters if NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft in their airspace. The president responded, “Yes.”
Afterward, Trump posted a foreign policy switch on Truth Social.
“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.”
Months earlier, Trump said that he didn’t think an end to the war could be negotiated without Ukraine giving up the territory it had lost, including during the illegal invasion of Crimea in 2014.
Prime Minister Mark Carney was asked by reporters for his perspective on Trump’s change of position. He reiterated that Putin could not be trusted.
“The president has made sincere and multiple efforts to establish peace. He has used his longstanding relations with Putin to try to establish peace, and Putin has failed on every occasion and every opportunity,” Carney said at news conference at the Canadian consulate.
Carney said that he welcomed Trump’s call for secondary sanctions and tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil and gas. He said that his Finance Minister, Francois-Philippe Champagne, is discussing with his G7 counterparts what additional economic measures to implement to increase pressure on Putin to end the war.
