Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the world is in “the most destructive arms race in history” and calls on the international community to act against Russia. Zelenskyy also decried the violence that killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told global leaders Wednesday that the world is in “the most destructive arms race in human history” 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’s world, he told the annual high-level meeting of the U.N. General Assembly that weak international institutions including the United Nations haven’t been able to stop wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and elsewhere, and international law can’t help nations survive.

“Weapons decide who survives,” the Ukrainian leader said. “There are no security guarantees except friends and weapons.”

Zelenskyy spoke from the podium of the vast assembly chamber a day after he met with President Donald Trump, who expressed support for Ukraine’s efforts and criticized Russia. Trump said Tuesday that he believed Ukraine could win back all territory lost to Russia, a dramatic shift from the U.S. leader’s repeated calls for Kyiv to make concessions 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 “a good meeting” with Trump and with many other “strong leaders.”

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“Together, we can change a lot,” he said, expressing appreciation for support from the United States. and Europe and urging all U.N. member nations to condemn Russia while it “keeps dragging this war on.”

If Putin isn’t stopped now, the Ukrainian president warned the assembly that he will keep driving the war forward, “wider and deeper.”

“Ukraine is only the first, and now Russian drones are already flying across Europe, and Russian operations are already spreading across countries,” 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. “Europe cannot afford to lose Moldova, too,” he said, stressing that the country needs funding and energy support, not just “political gestures.”

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Zelenskyy said, weapons and especially drones “are evolving faster than our ability to defend ourselves.”

While drones previously were used by major countries, he said, “Now, there are tens of thousands of people who know how to professionally kill using drones.”

Recently, European airports had to shut down because of drones, Zelenskyy said, and last week North Korea announced the test of “a tactical drone” which means even countries with limited resources can build dangerous weapons.

“We are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history, because this time it includes artificial intelligence,” he said. “Companies are already working on drones that can shoot down other drones, and it’s only a matter of time — not much — before drones are fighting drones, attacking critical infrastructure and attacking people all by themselves – 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 “this is just as urgent as preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.”

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. “Stopping Russia now is cheaper than wondering who will be the first to create a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead.”

“So 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,” the Ukrainian leader said.

The Ukrainian leader said his country doesn’t have “big fat missiles dictators love to show off in parades” 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 “we have decided to open up for arms exports – and these are powerful systems tested in a real war when every international institution failed.”

Zelenskyy afirma que está en curso “la carrera armamentista más destructiva de la historia”

NACIONES UNIDAS (AP) — El presidente ucraniano Volodymyr Zelenskyy afirmó el miércoles ante los líderes mundiales que el mundo se encuentra en “la carrera armamentista más destructiva de la historia” y llamó a la comunidad internacional a actuar contra Rusia ahora, asegurando que Vladímir Putin quiere expandir su guerra en Europa.

“Estamos viviendo la carrera armamentista más destructiva de la historia. Ucrania es solo el comienzo y ahora los drones rusos ya están volando por Europa, y las operaciones rusas ya se están extendiendo por varios países, y Putin quiere continuar esta guerra expandiéndola”, indicó Zelenskyy en la Asamblea General de la ONU.

Los comentarios de Zelenskyy se produjeron un día después de que se reuniera con el presidente Donald Trump, quien expresó su apoyo a los esfuerzos de Ucrania y criticó a Rusia.

Trump manifestó el martes que creía que Ucrania podría recuperar todo el territorio perdido ante Rusia, un cambio dramático respecto a las repetidas llamadas del líder de Estados Unidos para que Kiev hiciera concesiones para poner fin a la guerra.

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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.