Zelenskyy warns UN that weak global bodies can’t stop Putin; only allies and weapons can

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday that weak global bodies cannot stop Vladimir Putin and that only “friends and weapons” can defend against war and authoritarian ambitions. He warned that Ukraine may be the first European country to confront Moscow’s challenge to international order, but cautioned that it will not be the last as Russian drones have begun flying across Europe. “Putin will keep driving the war forward wider and deeper. And we told you before, Ukraine is only the first. And now Russian drones are already flying across Europe,” Zelenskyy said. “No one can feel safe right now.”

There was a general mood at the gathering that the rules-based international system is failing to curb aggression and protect civilians, and Zelenskyy used the platform to press for concrete action rather than statements. He argued that the international system has grown too weak to halt bloodshed, saying, “What can Sudan or Somalia or Palestine or any other people living through war really expect from the UN or the global system? Just statements.” He added that peace ultimately depends on all nations, and urged the audience to speak out and condemn Russia’s actions, insisting that leaders must defend life and international law and order. “In the end, peace depends on all of us, on the United Nations,” he said. “So don’t stay silent while Russia keeps dragging this war on. Please speak out and condemn it. Please join us in defending life and international law and order. People are waiting for action.”

Beyond the narrow dispute over Ukraine’s survival, Zelenskyy linked the war’s repercussions to broader crises that have unsettled the global order. He pointed to the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza and the harsh conditions endured by Palestinians, arguing that even amid bloodshed there is no international institution capable of stopping it. “There is simply no other way left [that] nations can speak about the pain from stages like this,” he said. “But even during bloodshed, there isn't a single international institution that can truly stop it. That's how weak these institutions have become.”

The Ukrainian president argued that stopping Russia now is cheaper than allowing Moscow to broaden the conflict and outpace Western militaries in an escalating arms race. He warned against efforts to “protect every port and every ship from terrorists with sea drones” and cautioned that a failure to act now could lead to a future where a drone armed with a nuclear payload is merely a question of time. “Stopping Russia now is cheaper than wondering who will be the first to create a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead,” he said, arguing that delay would only tempt Moscow to push the war further.

As the UNGA session continued, Zelenskyy challenged the international community to translate rhetoric into action. He said it is cheaper to prevent aggression than to repair the damage after it spreads, and he pressed leaders to bolster defenses and deterrence while upholding international law. “Please join us in defending life and international law and order,” he repeated, insisting that “people are waiting for action.”

The remarks came as the UN General Assembly grappled with a global sense of unease about the effectiveness of international institutions amid rising conflicts, cyber and drone threats, and humanitarian crises. Zelenskyy’s address underscored a broader call from Kyiv for Western allies and other partners to supply Kyiv with the weapons and support needed to prevent a broader collapse of the rules-based system. He framed the conflict not only as Ukraine’s struggle but as a test for whether the world can rally to defend shared norms before more neighbors fall under similar pressures.

As the session proceeded, Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine is prepared to engage in diplomacy and to seek lasting security guarantees, but warned that attempts to appease or delay could invite further Russian escalation. He stressed that the window to deter Putin is narrowing and urged global leaders to act decisively to protect civilian lives and the integrity of international law. The Ukrainian leader closed with a call for unity among nations, insisting that the price of inaction would be measured in more lives lost and more regions destabilized. The world, he implied, cannot afford to wait for another tragedy to force a reckoning.