# UN chief tells countries to rein in autonomous weapons

> Source: <https://www.politico.eu/article/un-chief-antonio-guterres-calls-to-rein-in-autonomous-weapons/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication>
> Published: 2026-08-25 15:17:52+00:00

BRUSSELS — Countries should ban or restrict the use of autonomous weaponry, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday, in a joint appeal with the Red Cross.

The world is inching closer to "crossing a moral red line", the "autonomous targeting of humans by machines," Guterres said. The UN [press release](https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/08/1168196) referred to "unconfirmed reports" that drones guided by artificial intelligence are being deployed on the battlefield.

On Monday, the New York Times [ran a story which claimed](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/world/europe/russia-drones-autonomous-ai-kill-ukraine-war.html) that a Russian AI-guided drone killed three Ukrainians, highlighting how AI could evolve drone warfare.