Help UNA-UK Stop Killer Robots

Autonomous Weapons Systems have reportedly been used in Ukraine, while AI-powered “decision support systems” were implicated in civilian harm in Gaza.

Autonomous weapons systems, often referred to as “killer robots”, are capable of selecting and attacking targets without meaningful human control. As governments and private companies race ahead with their development, the urgency for regulation has never been greater.

On 25 August 2026, UN chief António Guterres and the President of the Red Cross renewed their urgent call for stricter global controls, before it is too late. They urged states to start negotiating a legally binding agreement. The appeal came ahead of the Conference of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), due to take place from 16 to 20 November in Geneva.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and the world’s 7th largest arms exporter, the UK’s position carries weight. Its stance can either stall or drive forward global efforts to regulate Autonomous Weapons Systems.

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Urgent deadline approaching

If the UK intends to be a leader in establishing global principles and standards on AI, the UK Government must engage with the UN’s efforts to regulate autonomous weapons systems and military AI. Without urgent action, machines could be given the power to select and attack targets without meaningful human control.

Existing international laws are insufficient to address the rapidly accelerating dangers of military AI. At the CCW in November, states will have the opportunity to launch negotiations for an autonomous weapons treaty. 130 states already back the call for a new treaty. But the UK has not yet supported this step.

UNA-UK coordinates Stop Killer Robots UK which is working to obtain the UK Government’s support for an international treaty that:

prohibits autonomous weapons that cannot be meaningfully controlled and those that target humans
regulates other autonomous weapons to ensure meaningful human control over the use of force

This is part of the international Stop Killer Robots campaign.

How you can help

Please help the UK campaign by asking your MP to press the Government to:

Support the start of negotiations on a legally binding treaty on autonomous weapon systems.
Ensure that meaningful human control is kept over every decision to use force.

Download the template letter and add your MP’s name, your name and your address. You might want to edit the text if you feel you can improve it.

Find out who is your MP by entering your postcode at https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP

Copy the email address of their parliamentary (and of their constituency office if different) and send your letter there.

You could also copy the addresses of their social media pages and send messages there too.