Analysis of the Role of the United Nations (UN) in the Regulation of AI-Based Autonomous Weapons (Case Study of the War Between Russia and Ukraine)
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Abstract
This study examines the role of the United Nations (UN) in regulating AI-based autonomous weapons in the Russia-Ukraine war, ongoing since 2014 and fully escalated in 2022. The central issue is the UN's suboptimal role in enforcing such regulations amid a conflict that directly illustrates the massive deployment of this technology in modern warfare. This study employs the Pluralism perspective and the Theory of International Organization Functions as its analytical framework, emphasizing that non-state actors such as the UN play a significant role in shaping global governance. A descriptivequalitative method was applied through library research, analyzing official UN documents, scientific journals, and relevant academic sources. The findings reveal that the UN has performed four main roles: as a diplomatic forum through the CCWand GGE platforms, as an enforcer of international law through General Assembly resolutions, as a shaper of international norms, and as a facilitator of interstate cooperation. However, these roles remain suboptimal due to four key factors: divergent political interests among UN member states, the absence of binding international regulations on AI-based autonomous weapons, the UN's limited enforcement authority under international law, and Russia's use of its veto power, which structurally paralyzes the Security Council. This study concludes that the UN's effectiveness in regulating advancedweaponry remains severely limited and requires institutional reform alongside stronger collective commitment from all member states.
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