Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned of a dangerous artificial intelligence-driven war and arms race as he called on world leaders to help stop Russia's invasion of his country.
He was speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, a day after President Trump shifted his public position in support of Ukraine defeating Russia.
"It's only a matter of time, not much, before drones are fighting drones, attacking critical infrastructure and targeting people all by themselves, fully autonomous and no human involved, except the few who control AI systems," Zelenskyy said, calling for global rules on how AI can be used in weapons.
"We are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history because this time, it includes artificial intelligence."
He also suggested drones could one day be used to deliver nuclear warheads.
Zelenskyy's address came at a time of heightened alarm in Europe after recent Russian drone incursions into some of NATO's eastern member states, which raised fears of a regional spillover from Russia's 3 1/2-year-old, full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"Ukraine is only the first and now Russian drones are already flying across Europe, and Russian operations are already spreading across countries, and Putin wants to continue this war by expanding it," Zelenskyy said.
A day earlier, President Trump met with Zelenskyy and announced a new optimism about Ukraine's prospects against Russia.
"After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Trump and senior administration officials previously insisted Kyiv would need to give up territory to Moscow — such as Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014 — to end the war.
Asked by a journalist if Trump thinks NATO members should shoot down Russian aircraft that violate their airspace, the U.S. president responded: "Yes, I do."
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