Topic: Autonomous Weapon Systems
Country: Ukraine
Delegate Name: Catherine Russell
School: Williamston High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Ukraine position papers GLIMUN 2015 committees
Autonomous Weapon Systems, or more commonly known as AWS or Drones, are weapons that are becoming more and more prominent in society. These weapons are meant to engage in combat by acquiring information, (such as about the terrain of a country to better prepare soldiers.) tracking, selecting, and attacking targets with minimum human operation. There have been significant advancements of AWS over the past ten years. The weapons are able to do much more now. Ultimately, this may be a bad thing. The weapons have been constrained as to what they can and cannot do, and when and how they can be used. The disarmament and International Security Committee have made attempts to regulate the AWS, but they cannot yet be made. They also must now decide whether drones are permissible by whom and what context the drones are to be used as not to infringe on the national sovereignty of all countries, which has been a problem in some nations.
Ukraine is not entirely against the use of Autonomous Weapons, but only for defence reasons. As many of the esteemed delegates in this room know, Ukraine was invaded in the September of 2014. Ukraine was attacked with drones, and lost thousands of innocent people, as well as infrastructure in densely populated areas of the nation. Ukraine also happens to be spied on, especially on military bases by Russia. However, during our time of crisis, Ukraine has used these AWS for defense during the Crimean War. Ukraine would like to continue exploring technologies to aid in the advancement of AWS. Ukraine has put a lot of funding into the creation of drones after we were invaded. Ukraine has spoken publicly about the use of these weapons, and believes that the use of drones should be used for defense and if an AWE destroys, kills, or does anything else to infringe on national sovereignty or anything dangerous, it is up to the country of the AWS’s origin to help pay for any expenses.
Ukraine would like to see a resolution where any country with drones would be allowed to keep the weapons for defense purposes. Ukraine also believes that AWS should become more regulated in areas, and should only be used for defense, never for an invasion or for spying, as this would be infringing on the national sovereignty of nations being invaded or spied on. Again, Ukraine has publicly spoken about the issues with the drones, and firmly believe that they should be regulated and used only for defense. For a secure and safe future, never for infringing on another nation’s national sovereignty.
