- September 25, 2025
- 1:36 pm
- World News
“Look at Israel. Almost two years have passed, and the hostages are still not released. They need to be freed.”
On the world’s main diplomatic stage, the President of Ukraine did not limit himself to his own war.
He listed hot spots, described the new reality of weapons — from drones to AI — and directly spoke about the people Israel cannot forget for almost two years: the hostages must be freed. This gesture of solidarity is more than a phrase: it changes the framework of the security conversation and makes the issue of hostages part of the global agenda.
What exactly Zelensky said: key theses and direct formulations
In the speech delivered on September 24, 2025, at the debates of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, the main thread was: the international security system is not keeping up with real war and new technologies. Zelensky formulated this extremely harshly — and without euphemisms.
“International law does not work fully if you do not have influential friends ready to defend it. And even then, without weapons, nothing will work. This is an unpleasant truth, but it is reality.”
“There are no security guarantees. No international institution is capable of stopping bloodshed. What can countries experiencing war expect from the UN? For decades — only statements.”
“We are a peaceful people and want to live freely in an independent country. Therefore, we invest in defense — many simply have no other way.”
“Ukraine has decided to start exporting domestically produced weapons. These are powerful systems tested in real battles. You don’t need to start from scratch — we are ready to share what has proven effective on the front line.”
“We do not have large parade missiles that dictators like to boast about, but we have drones capable of flying two to three thousand kilometers. Soon drones will fight drones, targeting critical infrastructure and people autonomously, without human involvement.”
In a separate block, the president linked the geography of threats and the inability of institutions to provide answers — from Africa and the Middle East to Europe. And it was here that what directly concerns Israel was said:
“Look at Israel. Almost two years have passed, and the hostages are still not released. They need to be freed.”
This short phrase is a point through which the Ukrainian agenda merges with Israel’s humanitarian wound.
Why the remark about hostages is more than a gesture of courtesy
It is a moral marker
The Israeli theme sounds in the speech not as a diplomatic “mention for the sake of it,” but as a human marker. The meaning is transparent: the rights of hostages are beyond disputes and ideologies. For Israeli society, this is an important signal: Kyiv sees Israel’s pain and voices it on a platform where every word is worth its weight in gold.
It is a tool of coalition politics
The reminder about hostages helps Kyiv expand its audience: from traditional Euro-Atlantic allies to those who are sensitive primarily to humanitarian arguments. When the issue of human lives is brought to the UN GA podium, it is recorded in protocols and summaries — and is less dependent on the political conjuncture of the day.
It is a common language of security for Ukraine and Israel
Ukraine talks about kidnapped children, massive drone strikes, institutional failures — Israel lives in a similar logic of threats. Mentioning hostages makes this “common language” public and understandable: it is not about someone’s local problem, but about symptoms of a spreading global war.
“Weapons decide who survives”: the new arms race and what to do about it
Zelensky not only stated the weakness of institutions — he described the logic of war, where technologies will advance faster than regulators can develop rules. Long-range drones, autonomous targeting systems, AI algorithms in intelligence and strike links — all this is not tomorrow, it is already today.
“Now is the most destructive arms race in history because artificial intelligence is involved. We need global rules for the use of AI in weapons now — as urgently as restrictions on the proliferation of nuclear weapons.”
These words are aimed at those who are used to measuring security by old standards. He speaks directly: the old “paper” guarantees do not work as long as the attack has tools that are not even on the drawing board in any treaty. In such a reality, the credo sounds cynical but honest: friends + weapons + working rules. Priorities in exactly this order — because without friends and weapons, there will simply be no one to enforce the rules.
Europe and neighborhood: from “Ukraine — first” to “Ukraine — not last”
In a separate fragment, Zelensky lists incidents and trends, illustrating the thesis “Ukraine is only the first.” Violations of EU countries’ airspace, hybrid operations, attempts to destabilize neighbors — this is not a list for news summaries, but the skeleton of a new security reality. The leitmotif is not to repeat the Georgian scenario, not to “lose” Moldova, to close gaps in collective defense in time. And again — the logic is simple: while decisions are delayed, drones and propaganda play the field.
How different audiences will hear this speech
In Israel
The signal about hostages will be heard by everyone — from the families of the kidnapped to the average news viewer. Against the backdrop of fatigue and internal disputes, the public confirmation: “they remember outside Israel” — gives a psychological effect, which is also important. It strengthens bridges with those in Europe and the USA who hold the issue of hostages as a red line.
In Europe and the USA
Theses about “friends and weapons,” about AI and drones fit into current debates: air defense/missile defense, anti-drone systems, export of Ukrainian developments, standards for the use of AI in the military sphere. The speech provides arguments for technicians and politicians simultaneously: not only money and hardware are needed, but also rules that someone is ready to enforce.
Among “neutrals”
Harsh criticism of the UN and “institutions that do not work” may irritate those who prefer to keep their distance. But that’s what the General Assembly podium is for: to shift the undecided. The paradox is that it is the neutrals who will need working rules first when conflict zones expand.
Practical conclusions for politics and diplomacy
1) UN agenda and “toothy mechanisms.”
Words about “decades of statements” are not just a reproach, but a challenge to form enforcement mechanisms: automatic sanction cascades for violations, coalitions of coercion, practical norms for AI weapons. Without this, “moral” statements will again drown in the agenda.
2) Ukraine — Israel: strengthening the link.
The public reminder about hostages increases Kyiv’s trust capital in Israeli society and among Western politicians for whom the fate of hostages is a matter of honor. Here words are truly converted: they help keep the topic in the international agenda, increasing pressure on those who can influence the release process.
3) Export of defense solutions as a political tool.
The announcement of readiness to share proven systems is not just business. It is an invitation to the club of those who not only “sympathize” but act. In practical terms — joint air defense/missile defense programs, anti-drone solutions, data exchange standards, and compatible interfaces.
Quotes to remember
“There are no security guarantees except friends and weapons.”
“International law does not work fully if you do not have influential friends. And even then, without weapons, nothing will work.”
“Look at Israel: almost two years — and the hostages are still not released. They need to be freed.”
“We have started exporting weapons tested in real combat. You don’t need to start from scratch — we are ready to share what has already proven effective.”
“This is the most destructive arms race in history because artificial intelligence is involved. Global rules are needed now.”
Conclusion for the reader of NANews
The war has become too fast for old rules — and too technological for old insurances. Zelensky’s speech is not an attempt to please the audience. It is an attempt to make the audience look at a world where the “right of force” returns faster than we can stop it. That is why the word “hostages” is heard there: it is human, without “for” and “against.” When the leader of Ukraine pronounces it at the UN podium, it is heard in Jerusalem, Brussels, and Washington. And this means that the topic of freeing people once again has a chance to remain at the center of the global agenda — not on the periphery of diplomatic texts.
