Zelenskyy: Putin wants to continue the war by expanding it

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. In his speech, Zelenskyy focused on the threat posed by rapidly developing modern weapons systems to global security and peace, saying, "The 21st century is not much different from the past. If a country wants peace, it must work on its weapons. It is disgusting, but that is the truth. It is not international law that decides who survives, but weapons," he said.

"SYRIA DESERVES THE STRONGEST SUPPORT"

Stating that Ukraine is a peaceful nation but has had to invest in weapons to live freely, Zelenskyy said, "Nations can express their suffering from such podiums. But even when blood is shed, no international institution can stop it. This is an indication of how weak institutions have become. What can Sudan, Somalia, Palestine, or other peoples experiencing war expect from the UN or the global system? The only thing done for decades is issuing declaration after declaration. Everything happening in Gaza is a reminder that there is no way out. Even Syria, after all the changes it has gone through, has to appeal to the world for the easing of sanctions that are suffocating its economy. It has to ask and wait. Syria deserves the strongest support from the international community," he said.

Stating that he warned the world against a radiation disaster at the General Assembly last year, Zelenskyy said, "I made this warning specifically because of the occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest in Europe, by Russia. But nothing has changed. Nothing. Yesterday, the plant went dark again, and Russia did not even stop the bombardment of the areas next to the plant. Because international institutions are too weak, and this madness continues," he said.

Emphasizing that even international alliances are insufficient for security in the world today, Zelenskyy said, "Recently, 19 simple Russian unmanned aerial vehicles violated Polish airspace. Only four of them were shot down. By chance, these were not Shahed or more vicious weapons. Otherwise, the result could have been terrible," he said.

"EUROPE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE MOLDOVA"

Highlighting that Estonia had to call for a UN Security Council meeting for the first time in its history due to the violation of its airspace by Russian warplanes, and that Moldova is also trying to defend itself against Russian interference, Zelenskyy said, "We are helping Moldova, and Russia is trying to do to Moldova what Iran did to Lebanon in its time. And the global response is again insufficient. We lost Georgia in Europe. In Georgia, human rights and the European character of the state are gradually weakening. Georgia is becoming increasingly dependent on Russia, and for many years, Belarus has also been moving toward dependence on Russia. Europe cannot afford to lose Moldova," he said.

Arguing that Europe ignored the threats in Georgia and missed the window of opportunity in Belarus, Zelenskyy said that the same mistakes should not be made regarding Moldova. Zelenskyy stated, "The EU must support Moldova not only with rhetoric and political gestures, but with funding and energy," he said.

In his speech, Zelenskyy also touched upon right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in the US, and Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zaretska, who was stabbed to death during a train journey in the US, criticizing the fact that attacks and acts of violence have become a part of daily life.

Touching upon how cheap and simple unmanned aerial vehicles are changing the rules of war and the security threats posed by these vehicles, Zelenskyy said, "In the past, only powerful countries could use drones because they were very expensive and complex. But now even simple drones can fly thousands of kilometers. War technology no longer cares about geography; it reshapes geography. Very recently, airports in Europe had to be closed due to drones. Authorities could not even explain what type of drones they were, who sent them, or where they came from. Last week, North Korea announced that it had tested a tactical attack drone. This means that even countries with limited resources can now produce dangerous weapons for their neighbors. Countries like Ukraine and Saudi Arabia know well how dangerous Iranian-made attack drones are," he said.

Zelenskyy said, "So what will happen when such drones fall into the hands of small terrorist organizations or cartels? The world is moving too slowly to protect itself. Weapons, on the other hand, are advancing very quickly," he said.

Stating that the emergence of fully autonomous systems where drones fight drones and target critical infrastructure and people is a matter of time, Zelenskyy said, "Those who control these systems will be those who manage artificial intelligence," he said.

Stating that the world is in the most destructive arms race period because artificial intelligence is now involved, Zelenskyy said, "We need global rules on how artificial intelligence can be used in weapons. This is as urgent as preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. We need to re-establish international cooperation, real and functional cooperation for peace and security. Otherwise, in two years, it may be too late," he said.

Zelenskyy warned that unmanned aerial vehicles, which create "dead zones" on the battlefield that could previously only be created with nuclear weapons, will become a much greater threat with the support of artificial intelligence.

Praising Ukraine's unmanned aerial vehicle technology, Zelenskyy said, "Control at sea used to require having a large navy. Ukraine does not have a large fleet, but we have achieved success in the Black Sea. We drove the remainder of the Russian Navy to a distant base. We achieved this with sea drones. This is how we protect our ports and maritime trade routes because Russia left us no other choice," he said.

Zelenskyy said, "This war is becoming more deadly every year, and the only culprit for this is Russia," he said. Calling on world leaders to stop Russian President Putin, Zelenskyy said, "The war has put us in a difficult situation, but do you have protection against similar threats? The facts are clear. Stopping this war now and curbing the global arms race is cheaper than building underground nurseries or massive shelters for critical infrastructure in the future. Stopping Putin now is more economical than trying to protect every port and every ship with sea drones. Stopping Putin now is better than anxiously waiting to see who will be the first to develop a drone carrying a simple nuclear warhead. Therefore, we must use everything we have together to stop the aggressor," he said.

"UKRAINE WAS ONLY THE FIRST STEP"

Stating that if pressure is not put on Russia, the war will continue in a wider and deeper form, Zelenskyy said, "Ukraine was only the first step. Now Russian drones are already flying over Europe and Russian operations are spreading between countries. Putin wants to continue this war by expanding it. No one can feel safe anymore," he said.

Zelenskyy concluded his speech by saying, "Do not remain silent while Russia continues this war. Please raise your voice and condemn it. Please join us in defending life, international law, and order. People are waiting for action," he said.