According to the observer network, on July 11, local time, the United Nations General Assembly voted on a resolution on the safety of nuclear facilities in Ukraine submitted by the United States and Ukraine, and 9 countries including Russia, North Korea and Cuba voted against, 60 countries including China, India and Brazil abstained, and 99 countries including the United States and Ukraine voted in favor. Since it is a resolution of the General Assembly, only more than two-thirds of the member states need to vote in favor of the resolution to be passed, and Russia's veto power is only valid in the Security Council, although the resolution of the General Assembly is not mandatory. The resolution calls on the Russian army to withdraw its military personnel and other unauthorized personnel from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and place them under full control of Ukraine.
General Assembly
The issue of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, ostensibly a nuclear safety issue, has actually become an important battlefield of public opinion between Russia and the United States and the West. This can be seen from the explanatory statement made by the Chinese representative. After the vote, China's representative, Ambassador Fu Cong, said that China opposes armed attacks on nuclear power plants and other peaceful nuclear facilities, and that all parties should remain calm and restrained, adhere to communication and cooperation, and that the bottom line of nuclear safety cannot be crossed. On the other hand, the draft resolution does not highlight the importance of promoting dialogue and negotiation, nor does it highlight the need to fundamentally resolve European security issues, which is different from China's consistent position and position, so China abstained from voting.
Ambassador Fu Cong's speech can draw at least two important messages. First of all, the game over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has already begun shortly after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with Russia and Ukraine accusing each other of attacking the nuclear facility. It is certain that the attack is real, but who initiated it, Russia and Ukraine have their own words, and from the motive, Russia has actually taken control of this nuclear power plant, and there is no need to blow itself up. Of course, no matter who did it, China's attitude is very clear, that is, it is firmly opposed, and nuclear safety is the absolute bottom line. Therefore, in his speech, Ambassador Fu Cong opposed all attacks on nuclear power plants and took an impartial position, further confirming China's objective and fair position on the Ukraine issue.
Ambassador Fu Cong
Secondly, China stresses that the resolution does not highlight the importance of negotiation and dialogue, as well as the fundamental solution of European security issues. The implication is that the Chinese side knows very well that this is a public opinion offensive launched by the United States and the West and Ukraine on Russia by using the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant issue, and its original intention is not to solve the nuclear safety issue, but to increase public opinion pressure on Russia, which will undoubtedly stimulate further escalation. China did not vote against the resolution because of its concern for nuclear safety, but the starting point of this resolution was not entirely in line with China's position, so China ultimately abstained from voting.
Although there have been no major changes in the front line of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, it is no longer one city or one pool on the battlefield that determines the direction of this conflict, but off-the-field factors, especially the United States election. Trump and Biden have obvious differences in their positions on the Russia-Ukraine issue, so the results of this year's United States election will directly determine the direction of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
Biden
Now it's not just the Democrats who don't have confidence in Biden, but Zelensky as well. According to a report by the Observer Network on July 11, a source revealed that the Kiev authorities want to hold a high-level conference on peace in Ukraine before the presidential election in United States, and will consider inviting Russia to participate. This move is obviously preparing for Trump's return to the White House. In addition, Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban recently opened a series of lightning visits to China, the United States, Russia and Ukraine, which is obviously also preparing for the next changes.
What we should really think about is Europe. This geopolitical conflict has had an unpredictable impact on Europe's economic and social order, greatly weakened Europe's overall strength, and once again exposed Europe's lack of strategic autonomy. If Europe always pins its security on United States, the result is doomed to be reaped by United States repeatedly. Kissinger once said that being an ally of United States is deadly, and Europe's political elites should savor it.