Zelenskyy Warns UN of AI Drone Threats Escalating Global Conflict

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized that Western militaries need more cost-effective methods to counter the surge of incoming Russian drones, learning rapidly from Ukraine's experience to develop new technologies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned at the United Nations that AI-driven drone warfare poses a threat as urgent as nuclear weapons, highlighting that drones have become accessible to many countries and could soon operate autonomously without human intervention. Zelenskyy stressed that tens of thousands of people worldwide are now trained to use drones in combat, making them harder to stop than traditional weapons, and warned this arms race accelerates global instability. He also noted that the proliferation of drone technology to countries like North Korea and potentially to non-state actors such as terrorists presents additional risks. Zelenskyy criticized international institutions for their ineffectiveness, calling for stronger military support to end Russia’s war and prevent an escalating arms race involving autonomous drones. NATO and Ukraine’s shared experiences underscore the urgent need for innovative defense measures against this rapidly evolving threat.