Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday invoked the plight of Afghanistan in his address to the United Nations General Assembly, declaring that the Taliban had “plunged the entire country into darkness” and cautioning that peace cannot be secured without the strength of weapons.
Speaking on the second day of the UN’s annual gathering, Zelensky warned that unresolved conflicts were exacting a devastating toll on civilians and destabilizing global security. “Afghanistan today stands as a reminder to the world of what happens when extremism is allowed to take over,” he said. “The Taliban have plunged the entire country into darkness, erasing freedoms, opportunities, and hope. This tragedy is not isolated—it is part of a broader global crisis.”
The Ukrainian president drew parallels between Afghanistan, Gaza, and his own country, arguing that conflicts in different parts of the world shared the same root causes of unchecked aggression and indifference to human suffering. He described Gaza as a place with “no way out,” adding: “Thousands of children are being killed in wars, whether in Ukraine, in Gaza, or beyond. How many more children must die before the world acts with the urgency these crises demand?”
Zelensky insisted that military strength was indispensable in defending sovereignty and deterring aggressors. “Peace cannot be achieved without weapons,” he stressed. “We must be honest with ourselves—the tools of defense are the tools of survival. Without them, nations fall, people suffer, and tyranny prevails.”
Renewing his call for international support, Zelensky underscored that Russia’s war against Ukraine was not only a direct assault on his country but also a threat to the global order. “Russia’s aggression is not just against Ukraine—it is against international law, against the very principles of peace and cooperation that this Assembly represents,” he declared.
He noted that Kyiv was continuing to invest heavily in its defense industries in order to withstand Moscow’s sustained attacks. “Ukraine is building the strength to survive, to protect our people, and to ensure that freedom does not collapse in Europe,” he said. “Every investment we make in defense is an investment in stability for the entire international community.”
Zelensky also urged world leaders not to allow fatigue or division to weaken their resolve. “The cost of indifference is measured in lives lost, in children buried, in nations broken,” he said. “If we do not confront aggressors together, we will face the consequences separately.”
His remarks, delivered against the backdrop of intensifying Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities and deepening humanitarian catastrophes in other global conflict zones, were aimed at galvanizing international unity. By invoking Afghanistan’s collapse, Gaza’s crisis, and Ukraine’s struggle, Zelensky framed his appeal as part of a shared responsibility to resist tyranny and safeguard peace.
“The world cannot afford complacency,” he concluded. “History will judge us not by the words we spoke, but by the actions we took to defend peace.”
