Countries participating in a framework that regulates or prohibits the use of weapons that are considered indiscriminate or excessively harmful agreed on Saturday on a document that may pave the way for setting international rules on autonomous weapons.
The number of states parties is 128. Agreement on this non-binding document represents an important step after negotiations that lasted more than a decade regarding the way to regulate weapons systems capable of identifying and attacking targets with varying degrees of autonomy, which are sometimes known as “killer robots.”
However, a human rights organization said that the document's definition of autonomous weapons and measures to limit their potential harm to civilians appear to have been relaxed.
Nicole van Rooyen, executive director of Stop Killer Robots, told Reuters: “It is truly unfortunate that the work that countries have done on the document over the past three years has been greatly weakened in the last hours.”
The member states of the Convention on the Prohibition or Restriction of the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons met in the past few days in Geneva, Switzerland, and reached a consensus overnight.
The agreement comes in light of growing concern about the use of lethal autonomous weapons systems in conflicts and wars. The document, adopted after consensus, is non-binding but could pave the way for formal negotiations on a treaty.
The talks continued until late into the night to overcome differences over the wording, amid opposition from countries such as the United States and Russia.
The United States and Russia prefer to adopt national guidelines rather than legally binding international rules. Washington sought to add flexibility to the non-binding document, including on issues related to the human role in decision-making.
Interfax news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a cessation of strikes on Kiev for a period of 3 days, starting today (Saturday), as part of preparations for the visit of an American delegation.
Peskov also told the TASS news agency that Putin is scheduled to meet with US special representatives Steve Witkov and Jared Kushner today.
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow today to present a proposal to end the war that has been going on for more than 4 years in Ukraine, according to Agence France-Presse.
After talks in Moscow, US President Donald Trump's envoys are scheduled to head to Kiev, in the latest attempt by Washington to break the diplomatic stalemate, in the most violent conflict Europe has witnessed since World War II.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of trying to obstruct the envoys' visit, by launching raids on Friday night and Saturday on Kiev airports, in addition to striking a civilian target in the Dnipro region, killing 5 people.
Zelensky said: “It is clear that these Russian strikes on airports constitute a response to the discussions and preparations related to the possibility of the American side visiting Ukraine by air, and landing at Kiev or Boryspil airport.”
This will be the first visit of Trump's friend, businessman Witkoff, and his son-in-law Kushner, to war-torn Kiev, since Trump returned to the White House last year pledging to resolve the conflict.
The almost continuous Russian drone attacks on the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, have imposed a new harsh reality that witnesses passengers being stranded, children being evacuated to the tunnels in the middle of the school day, and celebrations being cancelled, while sirens have become an annoying sound accompanying walks, according to a Reuters report.
Kiev has survived many shocks since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. Despite the initial shock of the war and the successive attacks of drones and ballistic missiles, the population gradually adapted and succeeded in restoring a portion of normal life.
But as the fifth winter of war approached, this situation became more difficult to maintain.
Over the summer, Moscow began sending swarms of high-speed jet drones, which are more destructive and difficult to counter than older propeller-powered models.
Over the past 10 days, air strikes have continued around the clock, often conducted by Russia at night, making Ukrainians feel that the tide of war is once again tilting in Moscow's favor.
Worried about a harsh winter
What most concerns Kiev's three million residents is the approaching winter. Russia's attacks have caused repeated power and water outages since the beginning of the war, but their severity over the past ten days indicates greater unrest.
Bohdan (29 years old) said as he inspected his apartment building damaged by a Russian attack last week: “Last year was very difficult for us... After this attack, as you can see, the situation is likely to become more difficult, so we decided to move to another place.”
With fighting on the battle front lines causing hundreds of deaths and injuries every week without significant field gains, Russia and Ukraine have been waging an escalating air war for months, exchanging attacks on energy and logistics facilities.
Difficulty in moving and shopping
Repeated air raid warnings last Monday led to the cessation of subway services linking the two banks of the Dnipro River, which divides the capital.
At Usokorky station, near the opposite bank of the city centre, nurse and psychologist Yuliana Oleinik waited with her two children on a crowded platform until the alarm was raised.
She said: “I am already thinking that we may have to bring something that will allow us to spend the night at the metro station near the school... The situation was difficult at school last year, and now I honestly do not know what to do. "I don't really know."
She added: “The roads leading to central Kiev are crowded, the bus stations are overcrowded, and people are forced to walk long distances to go to and from work.”
Shopping for food has become more difficult, as major stores close their doors when the sirens sound, meaning customers have to leave the building before completing their purchases.
Back to schools
Yuri Ihnat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, said that Russia launched more than 2,800 jet drones into Ukraine during August, after the use of this type increased fivefold in July compared to June.
He added that the interception rate of these drones was about 60 percent, compared to more than 90 percent for slower traditional drones.
Russia says that these attacks have a military goal, while Ukraine says that their purpose is to break civilian morale and pressure the government to give up territory at a time when Washington appears to be making new efforts to end the war.
However, a poll conducted by the Kyiv International Sociological Institute in August showed a sharpening of attitudes towards Russia. The percentage of opponents of giving up the unoccupied part of the Donbass region, one of the basic demands of Russian President Vladimir Putin, rose to 69 percent from 62 percent in April.
On the first day of the new school year last week, students at a Kiev school had just finished their first lesson when sirens sounded, and they rushed to underground shelters to continue their studies.
“It is stressful for them, but the children have become more able to adapt,” said Roman Fishchuk, the school’s director.
Fishchuk explained that approximately 400 children are enrolled this year in the school, which was damaged as a result of a Russian attack in May.
When the young schoolgirl, Alexandra, was asked about her dream, she answered: “For the war to end.”
