We Have No Choice But to Fight,” Ukraine’s Zelenskyy Tells World Leaders

Kokcha News Agency: In a powerful address to the United Nations General Assembly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on world leaders to take decisive action against Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, warning that international institutions have become too weak to prevent conflict.

“No one but ourselves can guarantee security,” Zelenskyy said. “Only strong alliances. Only strong partners. And only our own weapons.” He argued that international law is ineffective without the backing of “powerful friends” and military strength, stating that those with weapons ultimately decide who survives.

Zelenskyy pointed to conflicts in Sudan, Somalia, and Palestine as evidence of a global system that has failed to prevent bloodshed or deliver solutions. “That’s how weak these institutions have become,” he said. “For decades, just statements and statements.”

Turning to Russia’s war in Ukraine, Zelenskyy highlighted the use of chemical weapons, famine as a weapon, the abduction of thousands of Ukrainian children, and continued attacks on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which recently experienced another blackout, raising the risk of a potential disaster.

He also noted recent Russian drone and fighter jet incursions into Poland and Estonia, as well as interference in Moldova, warning that “Europe cannot afford to lose Moldova.”

Zelenskyy warned that weak international responses are fueling a global arms race, now accelerated by artificial intelligence (AI). “We are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history because this time, it includes artificial intelligence,” he said, calling for urgent global rules on the use of AI in weapons, similar to efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.

The Ukrainian president emphasized that Ukraine has developed attack drones and sea drones out of necessity, successfully pushing back the Russian navy in the Black Sea and striking strategic bombers. “None of this would have happened if [Russian President Vladimir] Putin had not started this full-scale aggression,” he said.

Zelenskyy urged nations to act collectively to end the war, stating that stopping the conflict now is cheaper than dealing with its long-term consequences. “Stopping Russia now is cheaper than wondering who will be the first to create a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead,” he said.

He called on more countries to join Ukraine’s security coalition, which already includes over 40 nations, and to speak out against Russia’s actions. “People are waiting for action,” Zelenskyy concluded.