The Russian government has refused to back an immediate ban on lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS). These are technologies that use AI and algorithms to attack targets without human control.
According to Oleg Postnikov, a senior official in the Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Moscow considers calls for a total ban to be premature.
He argued that existing international humanitarian law already provides a sufficiently robust legal framework to regulate these weapons and mitigate the horrors of war, making new restrictions unnecessary.
According to Postnikov, the United States takes an even stricter position. Washington has explicitly rejected any attempt to restrict or ban autonomous military systems and has shown little interest in addressing this issue through the United Nations. At present, the US is dealing with this matter mainly via the Group of Governmental Experts.
Russia argues that before new treaties are drafted, the international community must first reach agreement on basic definitions. Postnikov stressed that, since there is no globally agreed meaning for ‘artificial intelligence’, any productive dialogue on regulation stalls. He believes that the priority should be to test existing legal frameworks and establish a common terminology.
Recent diplomatic efforts in Geneva, which took place from late August to early September, resulted in a report setting out fundamental concepts for these weapons. Although Russia believes that this non-binding document aligns with its own strategic objectives, the agreement does not impose any legal obligations.
Further deliberations are scheduled for the review conference from 16-20 November 2026. During this summit, participating countries will debate whether a binding international treaty is needed and determine what level of human oversight is required for the operation of autonomous combat systems.
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