New York, 4 March 2022 (TDI): UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting following the takeover of the Zaporizhzhia Ukrainian Nuclear Plant today. The United Nations Security Council is holding an emergency meeting in New York.
The United States (US), France, the UK, Norway, Ireland, and Albania have called an emergency UN Security Council. After, Chernobyl, the Zaporizhzhya is the second nuclear plant in Ukraine that fell to the Russian military.
The United States, the UK, France, Ireland, Norway, and Albania have called an emergency UN Security Council meeting at 11:30ET following Russia’s attack on the Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant in Ukraine. @USAmbUN Linda Thomas-Greenfield will speak for the United States.
— Olivia Dalton (@USUNSpox) March 4, 2022
The Russian army has taken over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after a skirmish with Ukrainian forces. Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant is the largest in Europe. It has six nuclear energy reactors. Earlier today, in the wake of the battle, a fire had threatened a potential nuclear disaster.
However, according to Ukraine’s nuclear regulator, it was extinguished in the early hours of Friday morning. The UN Security Council emergency meeting will be an open meeting with speeches of representatives from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as well as the UN.
By the grace of God, the world narrowly averted a nuclear catastrophe last night. Russia must halt any use of force that might put at further risk all 15 operable reactors across Ukraine – nuclear facilities cannot become part of this conflict. https://t.co/GpyySLpKx1
— Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN) March 4, 2022
Fighting ensued in Ukraine as Russian forces encircled many cities in the second week of the attack launched by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin on 24th February.
Russia-Ukraine War
Amidst arising uncertainty, the attention of the entire world is fixated on Russia and Ukraine as on 24th February, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine at the behest of its Security Council that convened a day before.
Prior to this, a day before, Russia also recognized the Republics of the Luhansk and Donetsk, much to the West’s chagrin. The Donetsk and Luhansk are a part of the Donbas region that is pro-Russia territory.
Recently, Western countries had been alleging Russia about troops’ deployment on the border of Ukraine. However, Russia had been denying the allegations by claiming that it has no intention to invade Ukraine.
One of the main issues of contention between Russia and the EU/US is NATO’s beefed-up defenses in northeastern Europe and Ukraine’s intent to join NATO. A series of negotiations were held between Russian and Western counterparts to avert escalation. Though, that indelibly failed.
According to Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s stance regarding Ukraine is a matter of principle. In this context, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that if attempts to come to terms on mutually acceptable principles fail, Russia will adopt an appropriate response.
Au contraire, the Ukrainian authorities had been alerting the world about a possible invasion. Throughout 2021 and 2022, Russia and the West had been engaged in a diplomatic tussle related to Ukraine.
The West kept accusing Russia of a military buildup on the border of Ukraine whilst Russia kept objecting to NATO’s expansionist agenda that is considered a threat to its strategic security.
Consequently, tensions escalated between the two countries and led to strained bilateral relations. Moreover, despite the United States and EU sending strong messages to warn Russia, the threat of economic isolation couldn’t deter Russia to compromise on what it considers its national interest.
