Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a powerful and urgent address to the United Nations General Assembly, appealing for increased military aid to support his country’s defense against Russia. His speech, given amidst rising global tensions, emphasized a critical new era in military technology and warned of a destructive arms race. This impassioned plea followed former President Trump’s recent indication of renewed backing for Kyiv in its ongoing conflict.
Zelensky highlighted recent Russian drone incursions into Polish and Estonian airspace, underscoring how modern weaponry is rapidly evolving and now poses a threat to all nations. He cautioned that advanced drones could potentially enable terrorists or states to deliver nuclear devices, and stressed the profound dangers associated with unchecked artificial intelligence. “We are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history,” Zelensky declared, placing direct blame on Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine for this perilous acceleration.
Beyond the crisis in Ukraine, the Assembly heard from other key international figures:
- Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian, spoke three months after his country endured a brief, intense 12-day conflict with Israel, which included U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. He presented Iran as a victim of military aggression and reiterated that his nation “has never sought and will never seek to build a nuclear bomb,” echoing earlier statements from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. However, his address offered little new insight into Iran’s strategy for resolving its nuclear standoff with Britain, France, and Germany, especially as the U.N. considers reimposing sanctions this week.
- Syria’s new President, Ahmed al-Shara, made a historic debut on the global stage, becoming the first Syrian leader to address the Assembly since 1967. Having led the opposition forces that toppled the Assad family’s decades-long rule, al-Shara detailed his government’s efforts to rebuild the nation and its institutions. He criticized Israeli airstrikes on Syrian territory and sought to redefine his country’s international image, emphasizing a commitment to dialogue despite continued aggression. He also called for the reinstatement of a 1974 agreement establishing a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone with Israel and expressed firm solidarity with the people of Gaza, who have faced two years of devastating war.
- Argentina’s President, Javier Milei, lauded former President Trump in his address, praising his efforts to “restructure” international trade through tariff policies and to “clean up the institutional capture” of government by what he termed left-wing forces. Milei also commended Trump’s immigration crackdown.
- Estonia’s President, Alar Karis, stated that Russia’s actions in the Ukrainian war were undermining the core agreements of the United Nations, which were designed to protect peace, declaring that “Brutality prevails.”
- Panama’s President, José Raúl Mulino, briefly defended his country’s sovereign control of the Panama Canal, describing it as a “global public good” and a “facilitator of a more integrated international trade.” This statement appeared to be a direct response to former President Trump’s earlier threats that the United States might reclaim the canal.
Further pressing global challenges were also prominent in the discussions:
- A.I. Worries: Both Security Council members and President Zelensky voiced grave concerns about the unchecked development of artificial intelligence, particularly its potential military applications. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has advocated for a global watchdog to oversee AI technology and establish governing rules.
- Climate Change: A separate climate summit, hosted by Mr. Guterres, anticipated national plans from 118 countries as they prepare for the COP30 climate conference in Brazil in November. The European Union climate commissioner, Wopke Hoekstra, noted that despite former President Trump’s rejection of climate action, global momentum toward emissions reduction targets remains robust.
President Zelensky powerfully articulated that international rules are ineffective without “powerful friends ready to defend it,” asserting that true security is found only in “friends and weapons.” He drew a direct connection between the immediate need to halt Russia’s aggression and the broader imperative to prevent the current arms race from escalating into a catastrophic global conflict. He stressed that proactive intervention now would be “cheaper” for nations than the extensive defensive measures they might otherwise be forced to adopt.