Ukraine's Fedorov: "Autonomous weapons are the new nuclear weapons"

Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov told the New York Times that "autonomous weapons are the new nuclear weapons," framing AI-driven military systems as existential to national survival against Russia. Fedorov has championed AI drones as the focal point of a new arms race, arguing maximum automation is needed to offset Moscow's larger forces. The analogy signals urgency to partners while raising unresolved questions about governance and escalation thresholds for autonomous warfare.