TL;DR: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the UN General Assembly that unchecked Russian aggression, fueled by drone and AI warfare, risks triggering the most destructive arms race in history. He called for more weapons and global regulation, warning that diplomacy and international law alone are no longer effective.
What Zelensky Said at the UN
- Zelensky warned: “We are living through the most destructive arms race in human history,” driven by drones and AI that could lead to uncontrollable warfare.
- On Russia’s threat: He said Putin is expanding the war, referencing drone incursions into Poland and fighter jet violations over Estonia.
“Putin was intent on driving the war forward, wider and deeper … to continue this war by expanding it.”
- On the cost of inaction:
“Stopping Putin now is cheaper than trying to protect every port and every ship from terrorists… than wondering who will be forced to create a simple drone with a nuclear warhead.”
- On international law:
“Only friends and weapons” protect countries today, not UN resolutions or global institutions.
- On Moldova: He warned Russia is spending €100–200 million to interfere in Moldova’s elections to block its EU path.
On AI, Drone Warfare, and Global Risks
- Zelensky urged “urgent global rules” to regulate AI in weapons, saying:
“Drones fight drones… attacking critical infrastructure and targeting people all by themselves.”
- He described Ukraine’s battlefield as a “drone reality” where AI is not yet involved, but soon will be.
- He said Ukraine is now exporting “battle-tested” drones and proposed forming a security alliance of 30+ countries, bypassing ineffective UN processes.
Trump’s Changing Tone and Russian Reaction
- Trump told reporters Ukraine could “take back all the territory occupied by Russia – and, who knows, maybe even go further than that,” and called Russia a “paper tiger.”
- The Kremlin rejected Trump’s statement. Dmitry Peskov (Kremlin spokesman) said:
- Dmitry Medvedev mocked Trump’s stance, writing:
- Russian military bloggers claimed Trump’s comments show the U.S. is distancing itself from a failing Ukrainian campaign.
“President Trump heard Zelenskyy’s version of events. And apparently at this point, this version is the reason for the assessment we heard.”
“Most likely he’ll soon tell [Zelenskyy] to sign an act of capitulation.”
EU and Energy Policy Developments
- Trump urged European countries to “immediately cease all energy purchases from Russia.”
- Ursula von der Leyen (EU Commission President) said the EU aims to fully phase out Russian fossil fuels by 2027 and expand sanctions on 118 Russian oil tankers.
- Hungary and Slovakia continue to oppose the phase-out, holding exemptions.
Additional Key Points
- Ukraine has recaptured about 140 square miles of territory in September 2025.
- Zelensky positioned Ukraine as a hub for exporting advanced low-cost weapons, especially to countries vulnerable to AI-driven threats.
- He criticized UN failures in other global conflicts (e.g. Sudan, Gaza) and called on China to pressure Russia.
- NATO leaders, like Estonian President Alar Karis, backed Zelensky’s AI warnings, calling for alliance-wide drone defenses.