Zelenskyy: World in ‘most destructive arms race’
UNITED NATIONS—Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told global leaders on Wednesday that the world is in “the most destructive arms race in human history” and urged the international community to act against Russia now, asserting that Vladimir Putin wants to expand his war in Europe.
In a bleak view of today’s world, he told the annual high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly that weak international institutions including the United Nations haven’t been able to stop wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and elsewhere, and international law can’t help nations survive.
“Weapons decide who survives,” the Ukrainian leader said. “There are no security guarantees except friends and weapons.”
Zelenskyy spoke from the podium of the vast assembly chamber a day after he met with President Donald Trump, who expressed support for Ukraine’s efforts and criticized Russia. Trump said on Tuesday that he believed Ukraine could win back all territory lost to Russia, a dramatic shift from the US leader’s repeated calls for Kyiv to make concessions to end the war sparked by President Putin’s February 2022 invasion of its smaller neighbor.
‘Wider, deeper’ war
Zelenskyy did not comment on the surprise US pivot, saying only that he had “a good meeting” with Trump and with many other “strong leaders.”
“Together, we can change a lot,” he said, expressing appreciation for support from the United States and Europe and urging all UN member nations to condemn Russia while it “keeps dragging this war on.”
If Putin isn’t stopped now, the Ukrainian president warned the assembly that he will keep driving the war forward, “wider and deeper.”
“Ukraine is only the first, and now Russian drones are already flying across Europe, and Russian operations are already spreading across countries,” he said.
