Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia will expand its aggression beyond Ukraine if allies do not act together. He spoke at the UN General Assembly in New York and urged stronger support.
He said a fast race in military technology threatens all countries. He called for global rules on AI as weapons grow more autonomous.
Zelensky’s UN warning and AI call
Zelensky said Vladimir Putin “will keep driving the war forward wider and deeper” unless he is stopped. He argued that “weapons decide who survives” when states lack clear rules.
According to BBC News, he said stopping Russia now would cost less than facing new arms, including a simple drone with a nuclear warhead. He said current international bodies are “too weak” to guarantee Ukraine’s safety.
He pushed for rules on AI use in warfare. He warned that autonomous drones and unmanned planes pose a greater risk than traditional combat.
Shifts in US stance and regional risks
Trump’s comments and NATO airspace incidents
The BBC reported that US President Donald Trump said for the first time that Ukraine could win back all of its land. He called Russia a “paper tiger” that has been “fighting aimlessly in Ukraine.”
Zelensky praised Trump and said they had a “good meeting.” He said he understood the US was willing to offer security guarantees after the war, though he shared no details.
Trump also said NATO nations should shoot down Russian aircraft that breach their airspace. Estonia and Poland requested NATO consultations after recent violations. Romania also said Russian drones crossed into its airspace.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected Trump’s words. He said Russia is more like a bear, not a tiger, and denied the “paper” claim.
Zelensky warned Europe cannot afford to lose Moldova to Russian influence. He said the West missed chances to save Georgia and Belarus from Putin’s orbit. Moldova’s President Maia Sandu accused the Kremlin of spending “hundreds of millions of euros” to stir unrest.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday. The State Department said Rubio repeated Trump’s call to stop the killing and to take steps toward a durable resolution. The Kremlin did not comment on the meeting.
